1 00:00:07,470 --> 00:00:09,270 And we're in Daniel for a reason. 2 00:00:09,350 --> 00:00:12,790 The reason we're in Daniel is when we're at the pastors 3 00:00:12,790 --> 00:00:19,270 conference away. I prayed and spent a lot of time 4 00:00:19,270 --> 00:00:23,350 with the Lord in the evenings, unable to sleep a couple of 5 00:00:23,350 --> 00:00:27,070 times because we were away to go to the conference. 6 00:00:27,070 --> 00:00:32,470 But we also I was a way to seek the Lord on a few things and and 7 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:37,240 Daniel knew what book should we teach after the Book of 8 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:41,840 Revelation and Daniel was the book that the Lord guided me to 9 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:48,760 because in Daniel it's the manual how to live in a 10 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,840 difficult anti Christian world. It's the it's the book. 11 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:54,960 It's the book. If you have teenagers. 12 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:59,040 Actually, if you were here today and you're 5th between the age 13 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:03,440 of 15 and 17, can you just stand Male, female, everyone that's 14 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:06,600 between the age of 15 to 17, please stand up. 15 00:01:06,600 --> 00:01:08,840 Please start. We got there a couple there, a 16 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:10,760 couple over there, 15 to 17. Yeah. 17 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,160 If you're 15 to 17, stand up. We want to see you. 18 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:17,000 OK, That's the age. Just keep standing. 19 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:22,320 That's the age of Daniel and his three friends. 20 00:01:22,320 --> 00:01:24,400 So look around. That's how young they were. 21 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:27,000 Thanks, guys. Ladies, take a seat. 22 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:31,080 That's the age. And we're going to learn from 23 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:36,760 people that age how to live the Christian life in a difficult 24 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:38,640 world. We're going to learn from these 25 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:45,600 people absolutely, Absolutely. Today, as Christians, we're in a 26 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:49,920 conflict, a conflict of massive proportions. 27 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:53,440 There you see the outline of Daniel before us. 28 00:01:54,760 --> 00:02:00,080 Our enemy, our adversary is Satan is very real. 29 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:03,800 And the spirit of the Antichrist. 30 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,920 That's the the stuff we see in all the protests. 31 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:11,280 It's the it's the the venom behind kill the Jews and gas the 32 00:02:11,280 --> 00:02:13,880 Jews. And people celebrating when 33 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:17,600 Charlie Kirk was killed, people actually celebrated, went on 34 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:19,880 Twitter and said it's the best thing that ever happened. 35 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:22,000 Yeah, he should have. He should have died, should have 36 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,480 killed more of them. You go, how could that happen? 37 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,520 Even Mick Jagger said. How can people actually 38 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:32,080 celebrate the murder of a father or a husband? 39 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:39,880 It's because you and I live in a world and the Bible opens our 40 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:43,200 eyes to what the world is. It's not just trees and grass 41 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:46,880 and human bodies and cars and dogs and cats and things like 42 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:51,480 that. There's a spiritual world, our 43 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,640 adversary Satan is very real and the spirit of Antichrist that is 44 00:02:55,920 --> 00:03:02,280 everything against Christ. The apostle John warned us and 45 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:08,800 it's in Top Gear this, this anti Christian, anti God spirit at 46 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:13,920 the moment. John said in 1 John chapter 4 47 00:03:13,920 --> 00:03:15,960 verse 3. Every spirit that does not 48 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:19,760 confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. 49 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:26,840 And this is this is the spirit of Antichrist, which you have 50 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:30,440 heard was coming and is now already in the world. 51 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:38,280 That's 2000 years ago. We see our enemies footprints. 52 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:42,760 Satan, the spirit of Antichrist, we see his fingerprints. 53 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:46,920 They're fingerprints. They foul stench over 54 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:48,760 everything. We see it in the government. 55 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:54,320 How can governments vote to make law so you can kill and abort 56 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,720 children right up to full age now? 57 00:03:57,840 --> 00:03:59,320 Full term. Yeah. 58 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:01,400 Don't like. I don't think I will put them 59 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:05,080 down. That was one of the reasons why 60 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:11,400 people killed Charlie Kirk. He spoke strong against life and 61 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,320 abortion. People say, well what's it's the 62 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:17,279 females bodies. He said, yeah, Charlie Kirk said 63 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,560 in one of the times he said, yeah, what about the female 64 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:24,640 bodies of the little girls yet born their bodies. 65 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:29,280 And so governments, our government, you know, in 66 00:04:29,280 --> 00:04:33,520 Australia, 83,000 abortions occur per year. 67 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:39,800 That's Optus Oval packed and another half again. 68 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:46,680 You know, we read in the Old Testament of a God called Molech 69 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:52,800 and and and it was a wicked worship this God Molech and you 70 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:56,560 can see the statues of these little gods Molech and they have 71 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:59,520 brass and they have hands standing like that. 72 00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:04,800 So they're brass hands and to bring favour and and the worship 73 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:10,040 of Molech, you would price place a newborn baby after the statue 74 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,960 has been heated up into a fire white hot and then you would 75 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:18,000 place the child in the arms of that statute as a sacrifice, 76 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:22,200 killing it to Molech. This is why God said, you know 77 00:05:22,200 --> 00:05:24,360 when you go into the promised land and people are worshipping 78 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:26,440 in this way, you got to wipe that out. 79 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:32,760 You got to remove it completely. Yet today Molech lives in 80 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,480 Australia exists the worship of Molech. 81 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,640 We see that in government elections, we see the movies, 82 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:47,320 the streaming services and such can constantly on our daily TV 83 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:50,760 news, in our shopping centres, our neighbourhoods, reaching 84 00:05:50,760 --> 00:05:54,480 into our churches. Now, sadly, as one denomination 85 00:05:54,600 --> 00:06:02,400 after another weakens, allowing so called tolerance and equality 86 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:09,560 to overrule God's word, all in the name of let's just make some 87 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:11,520 changes. More people will come. 88 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:14,480 Yeah, more people will come because you're no longer the 89 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:17,360 church. You just say a mob gathered 90 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:18,920 together. You know, we we're going to have 91 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:23,120 free beer and a free pony rides and circus rides and we can feel 92 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:26,120 the place and we can pay. Man, that church is really boom. 93 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:29,280 Look at all the people that are attracting there to do what? 94 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:31,560 Better off going to the royal show. 95 00:06:31,840 --> 00:06:33,840 Well, that might be more expensive, I don't know. 96 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:42,520 The tragedy, anger and sickness of sin is everywhere in every 97 00:06:42,520 --> 00:06:48,320 sphere of our fallen world. As a Christian, if you have 98 00:06:48,320 --> 00:06:52,000 received Christ as your Lord and Saviour, repented of your sins, 99 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:55,640 ask him to come into your life being born again. 100 00:06:55,960 --> 00:07:00,320 Is it possible for that person to live godly in such wicked 101 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:02,880 days? You go Keith, I don't know it's 102 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:05,320 a struggle at work. I'm the only Christian in my 103 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:08,480 family, I'm the only Christian in my sporting team. 104 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:11,400 If I was to mention that I was a Christian or pro Jewish in any 105 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:15,160 way or or or anti abortion anyway, oh man I'd be 106 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:21,760 ostracised. And if it is possible to live 107 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:25,280 godly in such wicked days, If so, how? 108 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:33,640 How can I do that? Can our youth have hope in a 109 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:39,240 world that has erased the definitions of male and female? 110 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:43,640 Never forget watching the US Parliament, government, 111 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:50,520 Congress, whatever it is called and a Congress person was a 112 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,480 woman was asked. Please give me a definition of 113 00:07:53,480 --> 00:08:02,480 what a woman is. I mean seriously couldn't define 114 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:06,480 what a woman is. Actually DNA defines it. 115 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:13,120 It's pretty easy. Can our youth have a hope in 116 00:08:13,120 --> 00:08:17,280 that world? Well, we can't define male or 117 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,240 female. We've redefined marriage. 118 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:25,960 I mean, people are marrying anybody and multiple marriages, 119 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:29,840 multiple peoples, people are marrying themselves. 120 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:35,600 People are marrying them on our cyberspace. 121 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:38,679 They're they're marrying someone who lives in the computer and in 122 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:44,800 their cyberspace. We've redefined family. 123 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:47,000 What is a family? We used to be mum, dad and kids, 124 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:49,000 didn't it? That ain't gonna happen. 125 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:53,440 Yeah. They've obliterated the roles in 126 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:56,280 terms of father and mother. You can't say that. 127 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:03,440 Can't say father and mother. Can you live in such a world? 128 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:06,640 Yes, you can. The answer from God's Word is 129 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:10,400 yes, you can. In Matthew chapter 19, verse 26. 130 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:12,080 Don't. We'll, we'll get to Daniel. 131 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:19,520 Jesus said with men this is impossible, but with God all 132 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:22,840 things are possible. And so we're going to look at a 133 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:28,920 young Jewish teenager by the name of Daniel as to how we too 134 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:34,280 can stand and live as Christ's disciples in a world that hates 135 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:39,920 Christianity. Well, Australia doesn't probably 136 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:41,880 hate it. As I was thinking about it, 137 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,440 Australia simply ignores God. Our culture just ignores God. 138 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:53,960 Well, now I did it. Genesis 65. 139 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:59,360 Before the flood, God described the world a lot like now. 140 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:04,200 The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, 141 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:11,120 and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only 142 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:13,680 evil. Continually. 143 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:20,520 Hear the adverbs there. Genesis 6-8. 144 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:26,680 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 145 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:33,520 Daniel lived some 2600 years ago, and yet this young teenage 146 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:38,440 Hebrew leaves us such a godly legacy that Jesus himself 147 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:42,320 commends Daniel to us as a prophet of Almighty God. 148 00:10:42,320 --> 00:10:43,760 People say, well, Daniel can't be. 149 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:46,040 It had to be written after the events. 150 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:48,280 It's too precise. It's too well done. 151 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:51,320 How could Daniel write these things and name names and kings 152 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:53,520 and empires before they've been informed? 153 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:56,840 It's impossible. Well, Daniel is a prophet 154 00:10:56,840 --> 00:11:00,480 because Jesus says he is. Matthew 2415. 155 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,840 Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation spoken 156 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:08,880 of by Daniel the prophet, so Jesus Christ says everything 157 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:14,520 that Daniel says is right on. The 1st 8 chapters of the book 158 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:19,840 of Daniel are filled with words of warning to the most powerful 159 00:11:19,840 --> 00:11:21,920 king living on the earth at that time. 160 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:25,880 Absolute dictator. His empire was Babylon. 161 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:30,720 The King's name? Nebuchadnezzar, a few more kings 162 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:35,240 are in this space that Daniel will work with and warn as well. 163 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:40,520 And then in chapters 9 to 12, Daniel shifts into Bible 164 00:11:40,520 --> 00:11:42,760 prophecy. Bible prophecy again. 165 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:44,480 We're going to do Bible prophecy again. 166 00:11:44,640 --> 00:11:48,320 Actually, yes, because we teach through the Bible. 1/3 of the 167 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:51,520 Bible is Bible prophecy. So if we didn't touch Bible 168 00:11:51,520 --> 00:11:54,480 prophecy, we'd have to take a third of the Bible away and go, 169 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:56,800 well, only going to do the other 2/3. 170 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:05,120 So 9 to 12, Daniel receives directly from an Angel of God 171 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:10,160 events of the future. He receives God's plan also for 172 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:14,200 the nation of Israel. Now, that's important because 173 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:16,560 many churches today said, well, God's finished with his role. 174 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:21,320 But in the book of Daniel, an Angel is sent by God to tell 175 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:24,760 Daniel what's going to happen to Israel in the last days. 176 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:30,360 It doesn't say. And God spoke to Daniel by an 177 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:37,920 Angel about Australia, about Germany, about the USA or Great 178 00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:40,880 Britain. No, he speaks about Israel. 179 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:43,240 Why? Because God has not finished 180 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:48,880 with Israel, his people. But in these prophetic writings 181 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:57,040 particularly, Daniel will, with incredible precision tell us in 182 00:12:57,040 --> 00:13:04,840 detail of the very day that would be ahead when Messiah 183 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:10,440 Jesus would actually ride into Jerusalem on the cult of a 184 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:16,960 donkey we call Palm Sunday. He would say on this day he'll 185 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:18,200 come. And he did. 186 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:24,720 Yes, God will paint us a broad brush picture of empires, the 187 00:13:24,720 --> 00:13:28,200 raising and falling of leaders in Daniel and powers. 188 00:13:28,520 --> 00:13:33,400 But we will look intensely first up in this glorious book. 189 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:38,800 We will look at God's love, God's direction, God's care and 190 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:42,680 focus on you and I as individual believers. 191 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:45,680 We saw this very thing occur on the cross. 192 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:49,600 You know, God just doesn't deal in lumps and clumps of people. 193 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:55,120 He is your personal Saviour. The Lord is my shepherd. 194 00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:01,520 I shall not want on the cross. As Jesus is dying on the cross, 195 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:04,960 he's, he's taken on the sins of the world, yours and our sins. 196 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,160 He's dying there. He's in absolute agony. 197 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:09,160 He looks down. What does he do? 198 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:10,960 Oh everyone, woe is me, woe is me. 199 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:13,280 Oh man, I'm doing. Look what I'm doing for the 200 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:14,320 world. No one speak to me. 201 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:17,200 I'm in the most powerful, important thing in history. 202 00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:21,240 Now he looks at his mother, Mary, who's weeping at his feet. 203 00:14:21,240 --> 00:14:26,720 And she says, he says, mum, John, I want you to look after 204 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:32,560 John the disciple John and John, the youngest of the disciples. 205 00:14:33,040 --> 00:14:34,680 I want you to look after my mum now. 206 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:39,520 Take her to your home and make her like she's your mum now. 207 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:44,360 And John did they eventually let went and lived in the area of 208 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:48,360 Ephesus. So Jesus is dying on the cross 209 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:51,720 for the sins of the world and yet he cares about his mum and 210 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:53,920 he cares about his youngest disciple, John. 211 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:01,560 So Daniel, we kind of usually leap into Daniel, but we forget 212 00:15:02,360 --> 00:15:07,920 pre Babylon Daniel. So Daniel is between the age of 213 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:14,000 15 to 17, he's in Jerusalem and the Babylonian army is laying 214 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,400 siege to Jerusalem. People are being slaughtered. 215 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:21,960 There's blood in the streets. They're screaming, this foreign 216 00:15:21,960 --> 00:15:26,680 group of soldiers, the Babylon Empire, it's it's plundering 217 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,600 Jerusalem. And Daniel is there as a 218 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:36,040 teenager, He's of royal blood. So he's in Jerusalem. 219 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:40,440 He's in the palace as the army is invading Jerusalem. 220 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:47,840 Babylon, mayhem, bloodshed, screaming, murdering, crying all 221 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:52,040 around him. Soon the Babylonian soldiers 222 00:15:52,040 --> 00:15:53,840 break in. They grab hold of him. 223 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:58,320 They seize him. Anyone who resists, they kill. 224 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:02,040 They grab him and his family and his friends. 225 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:06,000 Some are taken off to be slaves and some are taken off and 226 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:09,920 killed. This is all happening to a young 227 00:16:09,920 --> 00:16:14,800 teenage boy. Others like Daniel are, are 228 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:19,360 selected a taken prisoner, pick at him, him, him, grab him. 229 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:24,760 And Daniel sees his father and mother for the last time ever, 230 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:27,560 15 to 17. Think about that. 231 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:33,080 We we kind of gloss over that. That sits behind them for the 232 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:35,440 last time. And he's taken away along with 233 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:39,360 his cousin Azariah, who's also of royal blood. 234 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:44,560 Then he begins a journey, a force March, 1500 kilometres by 235 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:47,080 foot. It's going to take him four to 236 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:52,000 five months, 4 to 5 gruelling months in chains. 237 00:16:54,600 --> 00:16:59,200 And he's marched to Babylon. As I said, he's between the age 238 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:03,480 of 15 and 17. And in all this that is 239 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:07,280 happening to Daniel, to this young godly teenage boy, guess 240 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:12,640 what? He is in God's perfect will. 241 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:18,040 Got that? This is God's plan for Daniel. 242 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:25,760 He's in God's perfect will. Verse One In the third year of 243 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:29,400 the reign of Jehovah, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of 244 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:31,600 Babylon, came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 245 00:17:32,520 --> 00:17:35,440 And the Lord gave notice. Who's in control here? 246 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:40,200 The Lord gave Jehoiakim, king of Judah, into his hand, because 247 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:43,280 God was allowing the Babylonians to bring judgement upon Israel 248 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:46,840 with some of the articles of the House of God, which he carried 249 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:49,720 into the land of China to the House of his God. 250 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:52,960 And he brought the articles into the treasure House of his God. 251 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:57,760 This is Babel. Then the king Nebuchadnezzar 252 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:02,880 instructed Ashfenez, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of 253 00:18:02,880 --> 00:18:06,640 the children of Israel, in this case teenagers, some of the 254 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:10,520 King's descendants and some of the nobles, young men. 255 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:15,320 Daniels in this, in whom there was no blemish, but good 256 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,760 looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge, quick to 257 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:23,120 understand who had the ability to serve in the King's palace 258 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:26,600 and whom they might teach. This is what's going to happen 259 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:29,160 to them, the language and literature of the Chaldeans. 260 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:32,360 The king appointed for them a daily provision of the King's 261 00:18:32,360 --> 00:18:36,760 delicacies and of the wine which the king drank and three years 262 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:38,440 of training. So they're going to enter a 263 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:42,320 three year force training programme so that at the end of 264 00:18:42,320 --> 00:18:44,720 that time they might serve before the king. 265 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:50,200 Now from among those of the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, 266 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:54,000 Michel and Azariah. To them the chief of the eunuchs 267 00:18:54,120 --> 00:18:55,840 gave names. He gave Daniel the name 268 00:18:56,120 --> 00:19:00,160 Belichazza to Hananiah Shadrach, to Michelle Meshach and to 269 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:04,600 Azariah Abednego. So Daniel, a Hebrew teenager, 270 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:07,880 was to be a light to the Gentiles. 271 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:14,080 So Daniel, this kid is Hebrew. His mission from God for a 15 to 272 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:17,720 17 year old kid, Daniel, you're going to be a light to the 273 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:19,640 Gentile world. Think about that. 274 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:22,520 We kind of go, well, when the kids grow up, you know, we might 275 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:27,440 let them do some stuff around church and hey, hey, at the age 276 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:31,560 of four, Samuel was already ministering in in the temple 277 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:38,080 with Eli wearing a little ephod. Remember, at the age of 15 and 278 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:41,680 17. And if you're a 15 to 17 year 279 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:43,040 old, I really want you to hear this. 280 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:47,680 God has a mission for you as he does to others. 281 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:49,440 And I say, well, I'm too young. What would I know? 282 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:53,200 I don't know anything. Well, Daniel was chosen by God 283 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:58,520 to be a light to the Gentile world on behalf of God. 284 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:03,960 That was his mission, the wonder of Daniel's calling. 285 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:07,960 Imagine that. Yet we find in God's will for 286 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:13,840 Daniel he was to be deported, forcibly, taken from his 287 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:17,840 comfortable life in the court, the palace of Jerusalem's royal 288 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:22,080 family, taken to a foreign land, a Pagan land. 289 00:20:23,200 --> 00:20:27,160 But again, this was God's plan for Daniel's life. 290 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:30,680 You know, so often, you know, you and I, we want God to lay 291 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:34,200 out out his plan for us because we think, oh, who am I going to 292 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:36,080 marry? And what job am I going to have? 293 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:38,720 What Car will I have? And how tall will I grow? 294 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:41,760 And will I be good at sport? And we look at all these things 295 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:47,360 God's going. Ever thought of another country? 296 00:20:50,120 --> 00:20:54,480 Ever thought of serving the king, the most powerful, 297 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:57,280 dangerous king in the world being in its course? 298 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:03,280 God's plan for Daniel's life was far different. 299 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:09,320 So God shifted their location, Daniel, along with these three 300 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:11,840 Hebrew friends. Why did God shift? 301 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:19,240 Because God needed them elsewhere. 1500 kilometres, 5 302 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:27,280 months travel at their own walking Daniel we do not find. 303 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:30,320 When all this has happened to Daniel and he's come from a 304 00:21:30,320 --> 00:21:33,880 traumatic environment, we don't know. 305 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:37,880 We don't find Daniel kicking and screaming, shouting. 306 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:42,680 How could God do this? How could God allow this? 307 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:46,360 This is unfair. I'm separated from mum and dad, 308 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:49,480 I'm away from the palace, I'm having a walk here. 309 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:53,440 I'm a prisoner, I'm a slave. He doesn't cry out to God and 310 00:21:53,440 --> 00:21:55,800 say God, I don't love you anymore. 311 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:59,720 You know what? I hear that so often now, a 312 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:01,880 little bump in the road comes into people's life. 313 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:03,400 Well, you know, I'm done with Godwin. 314 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:07,680 And and what happens is is, you know, everyone's got to coddle 315 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:09,520 around and I'll like, yeah, sorry. 316 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:12,880 We'll, we'll we'll help you through this situation. 317 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:16,920 I remember police, the young police constable coming over to 318 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:19,840 me. I was the chaplain at the police 319 00:22:19,840 --> 00:22:22,640 and in the Chapel. He come over to get some advice. 320 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:24,960 He says, you know, I'm really struggling. 321 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:28,280 You know, I don't know how about I don't really want to be police 322 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:30,640 officer. And you know, my just my dad 323 00:22:30,640 --> 00:22:32,920 wants me to the police, be a police officer and everything 324 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:35,760 like this. And I think he was expecting me. 325 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:37,360 Oh well, heck, this is what we can do. 326 00:22:37,360 --> 00:22:39,760 We'll adapt the programme and help me through. 327 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:47,640 I said just leave, quit, go and mow lawns, be a fisherman. 328 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:50,760 Now it's forcing you to be a police officer. 329 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:56,480 Oh, you're not going to talk me around? 330 00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:59,040 You don't want to be a police officer. 331 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:02,200 You walk out the door, hand, hand in your your resignation 332 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:04,520 and go and be happy and do whatever you like. 333 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:10,440 You see, I think a lot of counselling that we give is to 334 00:23:10,640 --> 00:23:13,800 help people to stay in the grovel in the hall. 335 00:23:13,800 --> 00:23:16,800 And it's unfair. Yeah, yeah, we see it's unfair. 336 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:20,600 And we allow them to stay and God's put them in that place for 337 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:28,920 them to grow up. And sometimes I think we work 338 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:32,000 against what God is doing. Daniel. 339 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:35,720 Daniel didn't say, oh, God, the trauma. 340 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:37,880 I've seen the bloodshed, the screaming. 341 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:41,160 In that moment, I can never do anything for anyone else. 342 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:46,520 I'm the one that needs help. No, Daniel, I'm sending you the 343 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:49,320 battle on. Some things are going to happen 344 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,840 to you there, and this is what I want you to do. 345 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:58,280 And you know what Daniel did? He went along with God. 346 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:03,880 He went along with God. Daniel accepted what God was 347 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:08,840 doing in his life and he, in spite of all that he had lost, 348 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:14,960 all that he experienced, all that he had lived through, he 349 00:24:14,960 --> 00:24:18,960 remained true to God. That's the plan of Calvary 350 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,160 Chapel and why we teach the word of God. 351 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:23,920 If if you move, you're going to the Army, you're going to the 352 00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:27,440 Navy, or you're going to work on a, A, a mining camp or 353 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:29,560 something. Our aim is to teach you the word 354 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:34,200 of God so that you don't have to be sitting here Molly coddled by 355 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:36,520 everyone and go, oh, poor, poor you. 356 00:24:36,520 --> 00:24:38,400 You tough time. Yeah, flat tie. 357 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:39,920 Oh, that's difficult. Oh, you kick your toe. 358 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:41,880 Oh, that's terrible. You know, come and sit down and 359 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:45,000 we'll look after you so that when you go away into the real 360 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:48,760 world outside there, you can still live for Christ. 361 00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:52,680 You can say, no, I don't live that way. 362 00:24:52,680 --> 00:24:54,440 No, I read my Bible at lunchtime. 363 00:24:54,680 --> 00:24:56,040 Yeah, this is what I do. You know, I'm. 364 00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:58,120 But I don't, I don't, I don't live that. 365 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:02,280 I don't do that lifestyle. Our aim is to make you into the 366 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:05,840 man and woman of God through the teaching of God's word. 367 00:25:08,360 --> 00:25:12,120 Now, what would God do through him? 368 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:17,080 I'm not sure if you're all aware, but throughout Scripture 369 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:21,080 we see God using, and I'm going to say this, you need to listen 370 00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:26,760 to this, using difficult times to accomplish His will and those 371 00:25:26,760 --> 00:25:29,960 He has called to serve Him. I don't like difficult times. 372 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:36,240 I struggle in difficult times, but it's where God says, because 373 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:41,200 Keith, you're a bit of a sook, you're weak in those areas. 374 00:25:41,320 --> 00:25:44,320 And I'm going to bring you through the school of training 375 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:46,960 by the Holy Spirit. I'm going to lead you, you're 376 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:50,440 going to get some boots in the behind, some slaps around the 377 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:54,200 ears, and you're going to grow up and stop being selfish. 378 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:56,480 And I'm going to make you into a man of God. 379 00:25:57,240 --> 00:26:01,320 And I'm still in that process because that's what God was 380 00:26:01,320 --> 00:26:07,440 doing to Daniel. Moses for example, would not be 381 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:11,360 so well known to all of us if God had not allowed the 382 00:26:11,360 --> 00:26:14,800 Egyptians to enslave Israel for 400 years. 383 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:21,080 Gideon, mighty man of valour, Gideon, Bible says, would be a 384 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:26,000 nobody if God did not give the Midianites 150,000. 385 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:30,480 I think it was the opportunity to suppress God's chosen people, 386 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:38,000 Daniel, with these 300 men. Oh my, oh oh, Oh my, oh you 387 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:42,560 blokes just come on. And how do they win the battle? 388 00:26:42,800 --> 00:26:46,560 Held up a lamp, smashed it, shouted sword and Gideon, God 389 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:49,840 and Gideon and the Midianites killed themselves. 390 00:26:53,200 --> 00:27:01,080 Jonah would be a disaster if God had not allowed him to spend 3 391 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:03,880 days and three nights in the belly of a great fish. 392 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:07,480 This morning, I believe each of us have been given a mission. 393 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:11,600 For starters, we've all been given the Great Commission. 394 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:15,800 That's the great command. Mark 1615 And he said to them, 395 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:19,720 Jesus, go, that's you and I. Our job is to go into the world. 396 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:23,520 God has commanded you. It's not a suggestion while 397 00:27:23,520 --> 00:27:26,800 someone else could. No, no, you go into all the 398 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:28,200 world. And what are we to do? 399 00:27:28,440 --> 00:27:32,000 Preach. That is, share the gospel to 400 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:34,080 every creature. Do you do that? 401 00:27:36,120 --> 00:27:41,680 There is a reason and a purpose. God has created you for that. 402 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:46,320 You are alive now and for that reason as an individual, as a 403 00:27:46,320 --> 00:27:49,520 married couple, and as a family. When you get married, it doesn't 404 00:27:49,520 --> 00:27:51,680 fall away. When you have kids, it doesn't 405 00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:54,640 fall away. The calling of God spreads to 406 00:27:54,640 --> 00:27:58,360 your spouse and and flows on to your children. 407 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:02,080 It doesn't just drop off. Oh, it used to be me, but now 408 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:04,160 I'm married. That's all over now I got kids. 409 00:28:04,160 --> 00:28:07,360 No married couples. If believers get married, they 410 00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:10,280 should be both on fire for the things of God. 411 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:15,040 I should, we should, God should see an increase in their service 412 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:18,400 towards God, because now there's two of them encouraging one 413 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:21,840 another, reading the word of God, praying and saying, what 414 00:28:21,840 --> 00:28:30,760 can we do to serve the Lord? Ephesians 210 For we are his 415 00:28:30,760 --> 00:28:35,680 workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God 416 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:40,520 prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 417 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:44,360 For we are God's masterpiece, His artwork. 418 00:28:44,880 --> 00:28:50,920 He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good 419 00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:53,440 things He planned for us long ago. 420 00:28:53,560 --> 00:28:57,640 So what good things are you doing for God? 421 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:01,800 What are the good things that God has planned for you all? 422 00:29:01,800 --> 00:29:05,320 I don't know. In here is where you find out 423 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:09,560 what they are in prayer. As you wait upon the Lord with 424 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:12,840 your Bible open, as you serve the Lord, as you come to church, 425 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:15,560 you see a need. There's the purpose. 426 00:29:15,920 --> 00:29:20,760 Daniel, Hananiah, Michelle and Azariah were unable to fill 427 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:25,240 God's mission in each of their lives within the comfort of the 428 00:29:25,240 --> 00:29:28,840 walls of Jerusalem. Couldn't be done there in your 429 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:31,560 life today. There will be times, perhaps 430 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:35,960 even now, when God needs to shake your life up a bit to 431 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:41,760 ensure your eyes are now open and your heart seeking Him as to 432 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:48,080 what He has for you to accomplish His will in your 433 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:50,760 life. When a situation comes, when a 434 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:55,200 trial happens, it's something rocks your boat, it's got down. 435 00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:59,520 Hello, got your attention because all of a sudden, if you 436 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:01,000 are believing, you start praying. 437 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:03,480 Lord, don't you start reading. Oh, God, why is this happening? 438 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:06,800 God, Lord, leave me. That's why he allows it. 439 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:09,560 Because you've been drifting. You've been doing your own 440 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:13,440 thing. I remember Pastor Chuck Smith, 441 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:19,840 He was in his late 70s. All the pastors had gathered, 442 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:21,520 you know, the work that had happened. 443 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:22,840 Calvin Chapel had just flourished. 444 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:25,000 God did it. Glorious would be, you know, 445 00:30:25,440 --> 00:30:29,560 thousands got saved and Chuck says between and I think it was 446 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:34,160 80 between 75 and 80 he come out and he said this has been the 447 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:38,280 hardest year of ministry I've ever had when everyone went what 448 00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:44,160 you mean it gets harder and he was in the in the in the latter 449 00:30:44,160 --> 00:30:46,520 years of his life and in ministry. 450 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:52,320 Now we most times will not understand what God is doing and 451 00:30:52,320 --> 00:30:55,040 why. But so often as we look back in 452 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:59,120 hindsight, we see God's hand has been leading and guiding us 453 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:01,760 along the path as to where we are now. 454 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:05,840 With the changes of maturity, the storms, the trials, the 455 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:09,480 scars we ban now each have reshaped us. 456 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:13,840 And to the man and woman that God can now use us, we finally 457 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:16,440 surrendered. Well, the question is, have we? 458 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:21,240 It is critical in your walk as a believer when you're in the most 459 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:25,360 difficult times to be looking for God, for He's there. 460 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:30,520 Israel was in Babylon because of God's judgement upon them as a 461 00:31:30,520 --> 00:31:32,960 nation. They had breached the Sabbath 462 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:37,560 and they had bowed down and now fallen into idolatry. 463 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:42,480 But even in the midst of God's judging the people of Israel by 464 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:47,040 Babylon, God had a mission for Daniel and his three friends 465 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:50,720 that would take them to the king of the most powerful empire on 466 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:53,920 earth at this time. And so Daniel arrives in 467 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:55,320 Babylon. Think about this. 468 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:58,240 He's 1517 years of age. First day he gets there. 469 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:01,200 What happens when they eventually arrive in Babylon 470 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:05,600 after many months of marching? What did their young eyes see 471 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:07,480 before them that was different to Jerusalem? 472 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,200 First of all, one of the seven wonders of the world, the 473 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:14,880 Hanging Gardens of Babylon. This massive city, the river ran 474 00:32:14,880 --> 00:32:20,560 through it, but it was the most Pagan and powerful city in the 475 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:22,120 world. God's everywhere. 476 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:25,360 A new language and they couldn't understand what people said. 477 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:28,080 That a different culture, they dressed up when they comb their 478 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:31,600 head differently. That a dictator king who was all 479 00:32:31,600 --> 00:32:33,440 powerful. He said, you're dead. 480 00:32:33,520 --> 00:32:37,160 And that was it. For Daniel, Hananiah, Michelle 481 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:40,480 and Azariah, there was no, oh, I don't like this God, I'm going 482 00:32:40,480 --> 00:32:42,400 home. There was no home to go to. 483 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:46,440 No going back. Remember, we sing that song. 484 00:32:46,880 --> 00:32:49,840 I've decided to follow Jesus. How many times have you sung 485 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:51,960 that? You know what the words say? 486 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:56,440 No going back, no going back, The cross before me. 487 00:32:57,960 --> 00:33:00,680 Nebuchadnezzar's plan for these three young teeners, What was 488 00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:04,720 it? You're going to teach them? 489 00:33:04,720 --> 00:33:09,160 Everything about Chaldea, Babylon. 490 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:12,480 And you know what? The very plan that 491 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:15,880 Nebuchadnezzar had and Babylon had for the teenage kids. 492 00:33:16,200 --> 00:33:20,480 It's the same plan, moms and dads here today that an 493 00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:24,880 Antichrist spirit LED world is seeking to do with your children 494 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:31,400 right now to reeducate them, change what they think about 495 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:35,880 marriage, about fathers, mums, dads, abortion, euthanasia. 496 00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:41,240 The world, the education system is geared to change your kids. 497 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:47,760 Nebuchadnezzar's plans was to make these four Hebrew male 498 00:33:47,760 --> 00:33:53,240 teenagers Babylonians. For these young Hebrew teens. 499 00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:57,080 Yeah, They're allowed to hold to their Judaistic faith. 500 00:33:57,480 --> 00:33:59,280 They can have that. That's allowed. 501 00:33:59,440 --> 00:34:01,000 Yeah. You can still have the God of 502 00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:03,000 Israel. But here's the other part. 503 00:34:05,880 --> 00:34:09,239 As long as you worship the Babylonian gods first. 504 00:34:11,880 --> 00:34:14,639 So the compromise was OK. Oh, you mean we can worship the 505 00:34:14,639 --> 00:34:16,360 God of his? Yeah, but you got to worship our 506 00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:19,920 gods first. You know, a similar lifestyle 507 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:23,960 for many churchgoers today, it's the it's the lifestyle of 508 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:26,880 Christian compromise. They come to church and 509 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:28,320 everything else in their life is first. 510 00:34:28,320 --> 00:34:31,920 Their finance is first, Their, their, their, their hedonism is 511 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:33,280 first. All this is first. 512 00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:35,239 And God sort of fits in down here. 513 00:34:36,199 --> 00:34:38,000 Now, for a Jew, this was a problem. 514 00:34:38,159 --> 00:34:40,600 Is that a problem for you? Because it's one of the 510 515 00:34:40,600 --> 00:34:44,080 commandments. Because the problem is a very 516 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:46,840 real problem. Deuteronomy chapter 5, verse 7. 517 00:34:47,040 --> 00:34:50,440 You shall not have other gods before me. 518 00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:55,159 You shall not have other gods before me. 519 00:34:55,159 --> 00:34:58,360 That's idolatry. Each of these young men were 520 00:34:58,360 --> 00:35:03,040 about to face something that God said would happen back when 521 00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:05,200 Babylon was not yet a world power. 522 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:09,480 It's just a a young nation. And the Babylonians sent a group 523 00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:13,920 of people to visit Jerusalem. King Hezekiah was in charge at 524 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:16,880 the time of Israel. And as they arrived, he he 525 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:19,760 showed these visiting Babylonians some nice people. 526 00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:21,720 Hey, come have a look around. Here's the temple. 527 00:35:21,920 --> 00:35:23,480 Look at all the gold. Look at all the silver. 528 00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:24,560 Look at all the treasures that we have. 529 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:26,960 Oh, man, that's. Oh, that looks pretty good. 530 00:35:27,160 --> 00:35:28,800 Oh, come on. I'll show you more. 531 00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:33,120 So when the Babylonians left and returned home, the prophet 532 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:37,240 Isaiah came and said to Hezekiah, hey, who are these 533 00:35:37,240 --> 00:35:40,480 guys that just turned up? What'd you do? 534 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:46,920 And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, well, I showed him around, I 535 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:49,240 showed him the temple, I showed our treasures and everything 536 00:35:49,240 --> 00:35:51,160 great like that. Here's what happened. 537 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:57,160 Isaiah 39 verse 5. Isaiah said to Hezekiah, Hear 538 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:00,960 the word of the Lord of hosts, Behold, the days are coming 539 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:04,720 future, when all this that is in your house and what your 540 00:36:04,720 --> 00:36:08,960 father's have accumulated until this day shall be carried to 541 00:36:09,120 --> 00:36:13,160 Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the 542 00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:15,200 Lord. And they will take away some of 543 00:36:15,200 --> 00:36:19,440 your sons who will be descended from you, whom you will bigot. 544 00:36:19,800 --> 00:36:21,560 And here's what was going to happen to them. 545 00:36:21,840 --> 00:36:27,880 And they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. 546 00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:32,640 And so, besides leaving Jerusalem, being attacked, 547 00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:39,360 marching 1500 kilometres, five months now in a Pagan empire, 548 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:42,280 you know what happened to Daniel and his three friends? 549 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:46,600 They made them Munichs, castrated. 550 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:56,560 So all the dreams, these young Hebrew men, teenagers, all their 551 00:36:56,560 --> 00:37:00,520 dreams about being a father, passing on their family name, 552 00:37:01,240 --> 00:37:04,880 playing with their children, they're gone with the, with the 553 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:08,920 mutilation at that moment that each could have said, well, 554 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:12,440 that's the final straw. We're done with you, God. 555 00:37:14,360 --> 00:37:18,680 No, they each held on to their faith, their God and their hope. 556 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:24,080 It says in verse 8, but Daniel purposed in his heart that he 557 00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:28,000 would not defile himself with all the King's food, the wine 558 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:32,360 and what they wanted him to do. God was very specific about what 559 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:35,360 animals could or could not be eaten in the Mosaic law. 560 00:37:36,280 --> 00:37:38,560 Now here's the deal. And this is where Western 561 00:37:38,560 --> 00:37:42,840 society and what happens in church happens today because 562 00:37:42,840 --> 00:37:47,000 Satan comes in and whispering to, to to Daniel and he wished 563 00:37:47,160 --> 00:37:51,360 whispers to you today. What's the big It's not such. 564 00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:53,400 It's not such a big deal, Daniel. 565 00:37:54,680 --> 00:37:58,440 You can pick your way through the food, set this forbidden 566 00:37:58,440 --> 00:38:04,120 stuff aside, don't make a fuss. And who's going to know you're 567 00:38:04,120 --> 00:38:09,240 1500 kilometres away? Who's going to know Satan 568 00:38:09,240 --> 00:38:12,560 whispering in Daniel's ear? What the What's the big deal? 569 00:38:13,760 --> 00:38:17,080 God got you into this mess. See how He rewards your 570 00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:19,440 faithfulness to Him. Look what you got to go through 571 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:22,400 church. You today face the same 572 00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:25,840 scenario. Well, if we sleep together, 573 00:38:26,080 --> 00:38:28,800 though we're not married, it's not such a big deal. 574 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:32,400 Who will know what difference? What difference does it really 575 00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:34,080 make? I mean, it's just a piece of 576 00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:37,040 paper, isn't it? No, God says it's, it's 577 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:41,720 fornication. Well, God got me into this 578 00:38:41,720 --> 00:38:44,120 financial bind. The difficulties I'm having now. 579 00:38:44,400 --> 00:38:49,800 He can't expect me now to tithe and to give surely, when I'm 580 00:38:49,800 --> 00:38:51,360 just keeping my head above water. 581 00:38:51,480 --> 00:38:56,400 Read the book of Malachi. When you don't give you Rob God. 582 00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:03,560 God says test me. It sounds like the Garden of 583 00:39:03,560 --> 00:39:05,440 Eden all over again. These whispers. 584 00:39:05,920 --> 00:39:08,840 Listen. Godliness is not fluid, it 585 00:39:08,840 --> 00:39:12,640 doesn't adjust. Morality is not situational. 586 00:39:13,320 --> 00:39:15,720 God has laid out what is righteous living. 587 00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:19,520 When we tamper with God's standards, when we flaunt His 588 00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:23,800 word on righteousness, we separate ourselves from God with 589 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:26,120 our sins. Christians can do that. 590 00:39:26,840 --> 00:39:34,160 We become weak men, weak women, weak teenagers because we're 591 00:39:34,160 --> 00:39:40,320 just gone with the flow. And God doesn't like weakness 592 00:39:41,960 --> 00:39:44,880 husbands. One Peter chapter 3, verse 7. 593 00:39:45,280 --> 00:39:47,920 In the same way, you husbands must give honour to your wives. 594 00:39:48,120 --> 00:39:50,000 Treat your wife with understanding as you live 595 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:52,080 together. She may be weaker than you are, 596 00:39:52,080 --> 00:39:54,560 but she's your equal partner in God's gift of new life. 597 00:39:54,880 --> 00:39:59,240 Treat her as you. So treat her as you should so 598 00:39:59,240 --> 00:40:03,080 your prayers won't be hindered. So you can be coming to church, 599 00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:05,440 but if you're mistreating your wife, you can pray as much as 600 00:40:05,440 --> 00:40:06,920 you like. God says I'm not listening. 601 00:40:08,120 --> 00:40:10,920 I am not listening to you. Get yourself sorted out. 602 00:40:11,320 --> 00:40:12,880 Be the right husband you should be. 603 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:17,400 Then I'll listen. You see, there's an impact when 604 00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:21,320 we as Christians sin. It's worse than when unbelievers 605 00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:26,760 sin. But Daniel, the boys make a 606 00:40:26,760 --> 00:40:29,040 stand. I want to ask you, have you ever 607 00:40:29,040 --> 00:40:31,760 made a stand for Christ like Daniel? 608 00:40:32,560 --> 00:40:36,480 What enabled Daniel to take this stand to purpose in his heart? 609 00:40:36,720 --> 00:40:39,880 You know, you can read as much as you can about Daniel chapter 610 00:40:39,880 --> 00:40:42,480 1 and Daniel purpose, but there's nothing. 611 00:40:43,200 --> 00:40:46,320 No, God didn't go. Daniel, I'm giving you this 612 00:40:46,320 --> 00:40:52,280 superpower now to do this. No, only one thing can be the 613 00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:55,320 answer. It was Daniel's knowledge that 614 00:40:55,320 --> 00:40:58,520 he possessed of the word of God. Daniel was a man of the word of 615 00:40:58,520 --> 00:41:00,840 God. It was this knowledge that 616 00:41:00,840 --> 00:41:05,560 controlled the spirit and manner in which Daniel refused the 617 00:41:05,560 --> 00:41:09,400 King's food, along with the strength of character to discern 618 00:41:09,400 --> 00:41:11,080 and decide. It's called the book of 619 00:41:11,080 --> 00:41:15,000 Galatians, reader. But note what they didn't do. 620 00:41:15,720 --> 00:41:18,240 They didn't act on. Well, I, I've lost my job, you 621 00:41:18,240 --> 00:41:21,000 know, because I was, you know, witnessing to everybody all the 622 00:41:21,000 --> 00:41:22,600 time. And I was having my Bible out 623 00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:24,920 when I was supposed to be answering the phone and handling 624 00:41:24,920 --> 00:41:27,440 them. And I just go and no, no, no, 625 00:41:30,680 --> 00:41:34,360 they didn't go on strike. We're not eating the Babylonian 626 00:41:34,360 --> 00:41:35,200 food. We're Hebrews. 627 00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:39,240 They didn't do that. They didn't storm into the 628 00:41:39,240 --> 00:41:41,960 kitchen and shout out to the cooks. 629 00:41:42,160 --> 00:41:45,280 No fork, no pork. No fork, no pork. 630 00:41:50,040 --> 00:41:54,200 No, they use wisdom. Let's have a test. 631 00:41:55,560 --> 00:41:58,880 Daniel verse 11 to 14, and I'll paraphrase it for you. 632 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:02,960 Let us eat the food that we think we know we can eat. 633 00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:08,480 And after 10 days, if we're no good, if it's no good, then you 634 00:42:08,480 --> 00:42:13,400 know, we'll go go ahead with you trusting in the Lord because the 635 00:42:13,400 --> 00:42:16,400 eunuch head of the eunuch said, hey, if you finally how you do 636 00:42:16,400 --> 00:42:18,240 this, you turn up and you're skinny and scrawny. 637 00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:24,440 Oh, cut my head off Daniel. You see, when you surrender to 638 00:42:24,440 --> 00:42:28,040 the Lord's commands and you live to please him, he, God will 639 00:42:28,040 --> 00:42:33,640 always be with you 100%. He will be intimately involved 640 00:42:33,640 --> 00:42:35,040 in your life. In that moment. 641 00:42:35,400 --> 00:42:37,680 God did not just bless for that moment. 642 00:42:38,120 --> 00:42:41,200 No, God opened the doors and poured out His abundant blessing 643 00:42:41,200 --> 00:42:43,880 upon them and before them. Verse 9. 644 00:42:43,960 --> 00:42:47,480 Now God had brought Daniel into favour and tender love with the 645 00:42:47,480 --> 00:42:50,440 Prince of the eunuchs. That means sympathy. 646 00:42:51,560 --> 00:42:55,360 God dealt with the eunuch's heart, the chief eunuch's heart, 647 00:42:55,640 --> 00:43:00,680 and created a a relationship because Daniel came across as a 648 00:43:00,680 --> 00:43:04,400 wise, young, sensible man, and the eunuch trusted him. 649 00:43:09,440 --> 00:43:12,760 You see, God allowed them to excel before the King's eyes. 650 00:43:13,400 --> 00:43:15,720 God allowed them to shine above all the others. 651 00:43:15,760 --> 00:43:17,640 That's what happens when you obey the Lord. 652 00:43:18,120 --> 00:43:21,840 You can live righteously, even in Babylon. 653 00:43:23,320 --> 00:43:26,480 Don't tell me your school's too tough, your workplace is too 654 00:43:26,480 --> 00:43:28,640 tough, your sports team is too difficult. 655 00:43:30,040 --> 00:43:34,040 You and I face situations every day when we have the choice to 656 00:43:34,040 --> 00:43:37,240 say yes to God or yes to ourselves. 657 00:43:38,480 --> 00:43:41,320 The wheat from the chaff, the wise from the foolish. 658 00:43:41,920 --> 00:43:44,920 Most of those will be small decisions where Satan will 659 00:43:44,920 --> 00:43:47,280 whisper, well, it's not really a big deal. 660 00:43:47,280 --> 00:43:51,080 I mean, really doesn't matter. Who's going to know this one 661 00:43:51,080 --> 00:43:52,760 time? Just ask God to forgive you for 662 00:43:52,760 --> 00:43:56,760 it later. But every decision as to whether 663 00:43:56,760 --> 00:44:00,600 we sin or obey God is a big one. Why? 664 00:44:00,920 --> 00:44:06,120 Because every sin is big, our sins can separate us from God. 665 00:44:06,360 --> 00:44:08,640 They can close our ears to His voice. 666 00:44:08,880 --> 00:44:10,680 They can place us out of His will. 667 00:44:10,880 --> 00:44:14,000 They can make us vulnerable to the enemy's attack. 668 00:44:14,440 --> 00:44:20,760 Our sins also grieve God, but they hurt us ourselves terribly. 669 00:44:21,160 --> 00:44:25,440 Jesus said He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also 670 00:44:25,440 --> 00:44:30,040 and much, And he was unjust in what is least is unjust also and 671 00:44:30,040 --> 00:44:31,960 much. There are not too many 672 00:44:31,960 --> 00:44:34,920 professing believers and churches today who are not 673 00:44:35,080 --> 00:44:37,760 there. There are sorry too many who are 674 00:44:37,760 --> 00:44:41,600 not living in peace. Yet they're believers because 675 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:46,240 peace only comes from knowing you are right with God because 676 00:44:46,240 --> 00:44:51,720 of His wonderful grace, which is why we live obediently before 677 00:44:51,720 --> 00:44:55,280 Him in a sinful world. We know what He has done for us. 678 00:44:55,280 --> 00:44:57,920 We celebrated it today and we love Him. 679 00:44:58,080 --> 00:45:01,000 That's why it's called the Eucharist, the table of 680 00:45:01,000 --> 00:45:03,720 Thanksgiving. You can have the peace of God 681 00:45:03,720 --> 00:45:07,280 today if you start living right for Him. 682 00:45:08,040 --> 00:45:11,880 Daniel 121 final verse. And Daniel continued even until 683 00:45:11,880 --> 00:45:16,600 the final year of King Cyrus. It meant Daniel continued to 684 00:45:16,600 --> 00:45:21,640 live before the Lord. He continued to stand fast and 685 00:45:21,640 --> 00:45:23,880 as a result he had the favour of God. 686 00:45:23,880 --> 00:45:26,400 You say maybe some of you were saying this, well, I don't have 687 00:45:26,400 --> 00:45:29,080 the favourite God in my life. It's probably because you're not 688 00:45:29,080 --> 00:45:32,960 standing up for for God. That's how you get the favour. 689 00:45:33,080 --> 00:45:34,880 Well, if I stand up, I'll lose my job. 690 00:45:35,080 --> 00:45:41,480 No, not if you stand up and are wise, say, well, you know, I 691 00:45:41,480 --> 00:45:45,120 know you, everyone wants us to do this, but that's against my 692 00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:48,640 faith. That's against what the Bible 693 00:45:48,640 --> 00:45:49,720 teaches. I'm a Christian. 694 00:45:51,400 --> 00:45:56,280 You do it in a way that's wise. Wise as a serpent, gentle as a 695 00:45:56,280 --> 00:46:00,280 dove. When a man's wise please the 696 00:46:00,280 --> 00:46:02,720 Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. 697 00:46:02,720 --> 00:46:06,400 Proverbs 16, seven. So let's wrap this. 698 00:46:07,520 --> 00:46:11,440 If Daniel had filed or compromised in his first Test, 699 00:46:12,400 --> 00:46:14,320 how great would have been his lost? 700 00:46:14,840 --> 00:46:19,080 Think about that. He would simply be a nameless, 701 00:46:19,080 --> 00:46:22,280 forgotten teenage refugee in history. 702 00:46:25,680 --> 00:46:29,800 What will you be in the history? And then in the eyes of your 703 00:46:29,800 --> 00:46:32,480 children, your family, your wife, your children? 704 00:46:33,120 --> 00:46:35,560 Will you be a man? My dad was always a man of God. 705 00:46:35,560 --> 00:46:36,920 He stood up for the things of God. 706 00:46:39,000 --> 00:46:41,280 We speak of things being tough today, don't we? 707 00:46:41,360 --> 00:46:42,960 Oh, yeah. But Keith, it's difficult. 708 00:46:42,960 --> 00:46:47,200 Where I work, it's difficult. Hey, how difficult was it for 709 00:46:47,200 --> 00:46:51,160 Daniel? Seriously, is your life anywhere 710 00:46:51,160 --> 00:46:53,320 as difficult with what Daniel went through? 711 00:46:53,880 --> 00:47:03,440 No, the Bible called, it's called to us is to not be 712 00:47:03,440 --> 00:47:08,760 conformed to this world, Romans chapter 12 but to be transformed 713 00:47:09,440 --> 00:47:13,120 by God's word and his power in our lives. 714 00:47:14,040 --> 00:47:21,600 Where has God placed you to be wise like Daniel, to be strong 715 00:47:21,600 --> 00:47:28,120 like Daniel, to be honoured like Daniel in your school, in your 716 00:47:28,120 --> 00:47:34,480 workplace, in your family. Let's pray. 717 00:47:35,680 --> 00:47:44,320 Heavenly Father use me. I surrendered to you this 718 00:47:44,320 --> 00:47:48,960 morning. Strengthen me as I read your 719 00:47:48,960 --> 00:47:55,240 word. Help me to be like Daniel in 720 00:47:55,240 --> 00:47:57,320 Jesus name, Amen.