Address—Jim Hyland
DISCLAIMER: The following has been auto-transcribed. We hope it will help you to find the section of this audio file you are looking for.
Turn with me first of all, please, to the first chapter of the book of Daniel.
Our brother Bob in the afternoon meetings has been bringing before us some of the prophetic Nuggets from the latter part of the book of Daniel. But I would like for a few moments this afternoon to look at a few Nuggets in the practical chapters of Daniel concerning Daniel's life. Because I believe we have much instruction and I've been encouraged young people to realize that God teaches by example as well as precept. He brings the truth before us. He sets out the doctrinal principles of Christianity.
But then he gives us these wonderful examples, not just older men and women along in life, but young people.
And I've been impressed with how many young people are brought before us in the word of God, because God understands that while we're young, there are those decisions that need to be made, decisions that affect the rest of our lives. There are special difficulties and problems, perhaps special attacks of the enemy while we're young. And so God brings before us these young people, and He gives us their story to teach us and to exhort us and to encourage us to go on for the Lord.
And it says the things that were written aforetime were written for our learning that we, through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. And so we can't hope but just to touch on a few things in connection with the life of Daniel. But I'd like to begin with the first couple of verses, just to get the setting.
Daniel chapter one and verse one. In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon under Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand with part of the vessels of the House of God, and he carried.
Which he carried into the land of Shinier to the House of his gods, and he brought the vessels into the treasure House of his gods. Well, just to get the setting. As the story opens on Daniels life as a young man, we find that Daniel is no longer at home.
In the land of his birth and his upbringing, he's no longer home in Judea, but now he's a captive in the court of Babylon.
We know how God had allowed his people in his governmental ways to be carried captive and young people. I want to say at the beginning of this meeting that the governmental ways of God with you and me, if we belonged to him, are a very real thing.
You know, as I get a little older, I realize more and more that the government of God is very real. You know, young people, we don't get away with one thing in our Christian pathway. We might think sometimes we can hide things from our parents, we might think sometimes we can hide things from our brethren. But, you know, God sees and God knows and we may sneak off and do many things that we think we get away with, but we get away with nothing in our Christian pathway, you know.
We sometimes in the Gospel quote that verse, and rightly so.
Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. But I want to tell you that applies to you and me who know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. And if we reap to the flesh, where are we? So to the flesh We're going to reap to the flesh. If we live for ourselves, it's only going to bring sorrow in our lives. The way of the transgressor is hard and sin is costly. And God's people had turned from following God. They had turned to idolatry. They had allowed much wickedness.
To come in that was not according to the mind of God, and it grieved the heart of Jehovah very much.
But in his governmental ways he finally, after remonstrating with them over and over and over again, he allowed them to be carried captive into the land of Babylon.
Now I believe Babylon is a picture to us of this world. If we were to go back to Genesis, we would find that after the flood, all the language was one. The people were together, they came to the land of Shinar, and they decided to build a city and a tower which would reach unto heaven. And we know that because of their pride there, God came down and confounded the languages, the language at the Tower of Babel.
It speaks to us of this world and its confusion, and you can follow it through in other scriptures which we don't have time to mention this afternoon. But it's a picture to us of this world going on in its pride and its arrogance without God leaving God out. You know, I believe that man has built a vast system of things, political and religious and social, that leaves God completely out.
00:05:29
God is not in the thoughts of men today. Men think they are arranging everything.
I have been thankful for what Brother Bob has brought before us, showing that even at this present time God is in full control. He rules in the kingdoms of men, and the King's heart is in the hand of the Lord as the rivers of water eterneth that whether so ever he will. But I want you to notice too here that it's not just the land that just Babylon, but the land of Shinar. Now I don't pay a particular attention to names and their meanings as they appear in the word of God, but it is interesting young people that the name Shiner.
Means holy cast off. Isn't that the world we live in today?
This is a day without restraint. I know. When you go to school, you're encouraged to follow your lusts and your appetites. You're encouraged that if it feels good, do it and nobody's to restrain you and tell you what to do. This is a day when a rebellion against authority is not only practiced, it's preached and it's propagated and it's encouraged. I know you're bombarded with this kind of thing every day, and I read this setting because I want to show that this was the day in which Daniel found himself.
You know, young people, sometimes we look around at the condition of things around us in the world and we begin to feel sorry for ourselves and perhaps even think, well, we're the only generation that ever had to face these kinds of problems and difficulties. Well, it's true, there are problems and difficulties unique to your generation. No doubt the enemy is attacking in ways that perhaps he has never attacked before. But I want to tell you this, that it's never been easy to to live for the Lord.
And we're going to see, as we mentioned, a few things in the life of Daniel, that as Daniel took a stand for his God. It wasn't easy. It was a dark day for Daniel. And you can trace this through with other young people that are brought before us in the word of God. Did they find it easy to stand for the Lord? Did they find it easy to walk in obedience to the word of God? No. Indeed, because you have a powerful enemy. You have one. It says your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion.
Walketh about seeking whom he may devour, and we don't want to be ignorant of his devices. He is a powerful enemy. But I want to show from the life of Daniel that while it's true, these are dark, difficult days, days parallel to the days in which Daniel found himself and while you have a powerful enemy.
Yet we read in the New Testament greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world and young people. I know there's some of you here this afternoon and you're concerned your heart is burdened as you think of leaving this camp tomorrow. Your heart is burdened as you think of going back to the family situation, to the things at work.
To the problems that school should September roll around.
Perhaps difficulties even in the assembly. And you say, I don't think I can go back and face it. This has been such a wonderful time with the Lords people and with the other young people. I just don't think I can go back and face the difficulties. I know have no doubt there's hearts that are weeping inwardly this afternoon. But I want to encourage your heart as you leave this place that you can take a stand for the Lord not in your own strength, but in the resources.
That God has provided for you in the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, young people, we often quote that verse. He's given us according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. You know that young people that's true. We have the same God that Daniel had.
We have the same God that King David had. We have the same God that the Apostle Paul found his full resource in.
He hasn't changed. You know, there's an interesting comment made later on in Daniel in the 6th chapter made by the king as he sends out a proclamation. He says the God of Daniel is the living God. And then I love this expression and steadfast forever we have the same God. He hasn't changed. And the supply that you and I have in Christ this afternoon is the same limitless supply that has always been available to the people of God.
00:10:06
If you and I are willing to draw on that supply this afternoon, well, let's go down. We're not going to read all these verses. We'll read a few here and there and try to fill in the story.
Just notice in verse 8 of chapter one. But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the King's meat, nor with the wine which he drank. Wherefore he requested of the Prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God had brought Daniel into favor and tender love with the Prince of the eunuchs, and then dropped down to verse 17. As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom.
And Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams now at the end of the days, that the king had said he should bring them in.
Then the Prince of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar, and the king commanded. The king communed with them, and among the mall was found none like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore stood they before the king, and in all matters of wisdom and understanding that the king inquired of them, he found them 10 times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. And Daniel continued even under the first year.
Of King Cyrus.
What we find here, no doubt you've read this story many times, but we find here that Daniel along with a number of other we're not told how many, but I'm sure there were more than just Daniel and his three friends, no doubt quite a number of these young men who had been brought captive from the land of Israel. They are to be brought in and given the best of food, the best of circumstances.
And they are to stand before the king. You know, this was a difficult spot for Daniel.
It was a difficult test. You know, young people, it's easy to be a Christian in a situation like this. It's easy to be a Christian when you're with your fellow young person who knows the Lord Jesus. It's easy to be a Christian when you go to a conference. It's easy to be a Christian when you go even to the local assembly meetings. But you know, the tests come when we're out in the world, don't they? The tests come. God has left us in this world.
And this world.
Is under the power of Satan. He's the Prince and the power of the air. He's the God of this world.
And the tests come, and I believe the tests come for each one of us. And God tests us in various ways. You know, young people, God wants the truth to be real in our souls this afternoon. He doesn't want us to be able, just to be able to go from here and say, well, we learned such and such and enumerate certain things that we learned from scripture. That's good. But God wants us to enjoy the truth in our souls. He wants us to make these things real.
And I believe sometimes he puts us in situations like Daniel to test us, to show what's really in our hearts. You know, we can say a lot of things, but God is looking for reality in your heart and mind.
You know the Gospels free, and I'm thankful it is. But we must buy the truth.
It says by the truth and sell it. Not because I don't believe we ever really value something fully until we buy it for ourselves often. Use this illustration. If I if one of my daughters wants something, I may give them the money to go down and buy it and they may have some appreciation of that item. But if I say to my daughter now you save up your money and when you get enough money you can go down and buy this item, now she has a far greater appreciation for that item.
She knows the cost. She had to buy that item for herself. And I believe This is why God passes us through these tests and circumstances to bring out what's really in our hearts. You know, when the children of Israel first came out of Egypt, there went up a mixed multitude, and God allowed circumstances in the wilderness to bring out what was in the hearts of those people who had come out of Egypt. Well, this was a difficult test.
They were brought in, and they were appointed a portion of the King's meat and of the wine. Now you know, if Daniel had gone along with this, he would have perhaps had to eat, have eaten things that were contrary for a Jew to eat under the Levitical order. You remember, there were certain requirements set forth by God, certain things a certain animals that they were not to eat.
00:15:16
That wouldn't have meant anything to a gentile king like Nebuchadnezzar. And no doubt Daniel would have had to have compromised the word of God and eaten things that were unclean. Perhaps he would have had to eat things that were offered to idols as well.
What was he going to do? You know, I mentioned that there were no doubt more than just Daniel and his three friends brought in.
To be fed by the King's meat and with his wine. And Daniel might have looked at his peers and said, well, everybody's doing it and this is a different day. When we were home in our land, we used to believe those things and our fathers and our grandfathers practice these things. But this is a different day now. We're in a different set of circumstances.
And we've got to go along with things. He could have said that that would have been what people call the path of least resistance. Is that what he did? You know? It must have been difficult. I wonder, young people, if some of his peers didn't look at him, some of those who had come from his own land as captives, and wondered Daniel, this is foolish. I don't want to read into Scripture, but I wondered if Daniel didn't suffer a little reproach.
From his fellow peers, you know, young people I know that's the hardest kind of reproach to take.
You know, when you go to school and you take a stand for the Lord, that takes real courage and there's reproach connected with it, I know.
But you know, in one sense we say, well, they don't know the Lord, they don't understand.
But young people, I know when you go home and I know when you're with the other young people and my heart goes out to you.
I know you're going to suffer reproach sometimes even from the other young people in the meeting. And that's hard, isn't it? I know that's hard. You take a stand for the Lord. You try to be a help in the assembly in some little way. You try to help the other young people. You try to be faithful to the word of God, and you're misunderstood.
By the other young people, I'm sure Daniel felt this, but you know, I believe the key in Daniel's life here was.
What we read in verse eight he had purpose of heart.
You know, sometimes I've heard it said about young people, they have a nice desire.
You know desire is good, but there is a verse, I believe it's in the book of Proverbs that says this.
The sluggard desireth and hath nothing. You know, I often think of David in this connection.
Because in the 27th Psalm, David said this one thing have I desired of the Lord. That's good. But he didn't stop there. He said that will I seek after. There was purpose of heart, there was energy of faith. Now young people, I know it's only the grace of God that gives any one of us a desire to follow the Lord. I realize that.
And if you've had a desire to follow and please the Lord today, you have to, and I have to confess.
That it's God that works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. But young people, there needs to be that exercise and that energy of faith and that purpose of heart. Now this is an interesting expression, purpose of heart. It appears three times in the word of God in this connection with Daniel. And then if we were to go over to the 11Th chapter of Acts, we would find it in connection with Barnabas who went and encouraged the believers that with purpose of heart they would.
Cleave unto the Lord, you know it takes purpose of heart, it takes energy of faith to live in these dark, difficult days. These are the last days, and these are perilous times. But to cleave with purpose of heart, to hold fast to the truth, Jude went. And when he wrote to the Saints, he wrote of days very parallel to the days in which we're living, days of the giving up of the truth. And he said earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the Saints.
Young people, when you go home, are you going to earnestly contend for the faith? Are you going to have the purpose of heart that Daniel had? Are you going to have the purpose of heart that Barnabas exhorted the early believers to have? That you might cleave to the truth of God, that you might cling to this blessed book. When we were growing up, there was a Him we sometimes sung, Oh, cling to the Bible, my boy. It's interesting too that the other time this expression appears in the word of God.
Is in Second Corinthians Chapter 9 where Paul is writing to the Corinthian believers.
00:20:04
And he is speaking there of using what God has given them in a natural and material way. Sorry.
We've had some expressions in this connection already during these meetings, but young people, I just want to echo what has been already expressed so well, What are you doing with your energies?
What are you doing with the resources that God has given you? Do you realize that that which we have in a natural way, in a temporal way, is not our own? It's only been loaned to us? And you know what it says for each one of us? It is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.
Do you have a dollar in your pocket? You're a steward of that dollar. Has God-given you a car?
You're a steward of that car. Has God-given you some talent OR some energy?
You're only a steward of that talent, of that energy, young people. I want to impress this upon you.
You're young, I realize you have hopes and you have goals and you have dreams.
But I want to encourage you to live for Christ.
And to as it were, put those things that have been entrusted to you on the altar and use them for his glory. God wants the best years of your life. He wants your youth. He doesn't want you to wait till you're a little older.
I know young people were not all called to the mission field. I know we're not all called to give up our employment and go out and serve the Lord full time. But I want to encourage you as you leave this camp, to get before the Lord as to the path of faith and service that he has for you. You remember the Levites in the Old Testament? Every one of those Levites had a burden and everyone had a service. And I want to just say this too.
As you go back home to the little assembly from which you have come.
Or maybe some of you have come from assemblies that are a little larger.
But however many people there may be from week to week in the local assembly.
Get before the Lord and seek his mind as to how you can be a help in the assembly. I'm not just talking to the brothers, I'm talking to the sisters. You know, I've always been encouraged for the sake of the sisters by what Paul said when he wrote to the Philippians. I believe it was, he said. And help those women which labored with me in the gospel, You know, there were women who had been a real help in certain ways, quiet ways in their own sphere.
They'd been a real help and encouragement to the Apostle Paul as he preached the gospel and ministered the truth.
We find in the pathway of the Lord Jesus there are three women who are mentioned who follow the Lord Jesus down here and minister to Him of their substance. Their names were Susanna, Joanna and Mary Magdalene.
Wouldn't you like to have your name recorded?
As one who ministered of their substance sisters.
I believe that this ought to exercise each one of us, no matter how young or how old we are. And, you know, I sometimes wonder if there aren't assemblies who suffer a lack because there are those in the assembly who do not carry out the little function that God has given them as a member of the body of Christ.
I often think in this connection of our Kippus. You know, I don't know how old Archippus was. I don't know if he was a young man or not. But you know, when Paul wrote to the Saints at Colossi, he said, and say to Archippus, take heed to the ministry that thou hast received of the Lord, that thou fulfill it. Paul realized that Archippus had been given some little service to fulfill for the Lord and for the good of his people, and Archippus wasn't carrying out that little function, and that the assembly at Colossi was suffering a lack because of it.
My dear young person, dear young brother, dear young sister, are you going to get before the Lord and be exercised as to what He has for you in connection with service and the good and blessing of His people?
Daniel purposed in his heart that he wasn't going to defile himself. You know, there's a verse that says keep thyself pure young people. It applies to every aspect of our Christian life. God has a purpose. God has a plan for you and it's a happy plan, you know. God hasn't told us these things and set forth certain standards in his word to make life difficult. These things are for the good and blessing of his people upon the earth.
00:25:20
And if God tells you something from His word, it's for your good and blessing. And the only happy thing is to obey. If you know these things, happier ye if you do them, you know we're going to go away here. Young people, knowing many things. We've had many, many things brought before us from the word of God during these meetings. But I want to tell you this. If you go away knowing these things and you don't practically carry them out in your life, there's going to be no joy in fruit.
You know, happiness and obedience go hand in hand in our Christian pathway. You cannot separate the two. They go hand in hand. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. Daniel wasn't going to defile himself of with these two things, the King's meat, you know. I know again, and I don't want to sound repetitive, but I do want to ask you this question this afternoon. Young people, what are you feeding on?
Think about that for a moment.
What are you feeding on? I don't mean what do you have to eat when you sit down to breakfast? I don't mean what do you grab when you rush through lunch. I don't mean what do you have set before you when you come home to dinner?
What are you feeding on as far as what you're reading and taking in?
Satan has plenty for us to feed on, doesn't he? But all young people, those things don't satisfy your soul. Now I realize when you go to school, there are things that you are required to read to get along through the course and to pass the exam at the end. I know perhaps even some of you are in situations where at work there's certain things you have to read and study and take up. But what are you feeding on in your own time? Are you going to the bookshelves of this world and feeding on the husks?
You know, the prodigal son came to the point where he was so far away from the father's house that he fain would have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat.
Are you filling your appetite or trying to fill your appetite with the husks? The things of this world you know, this meat must have looked very pleasant. I'm sure it was the best that the king put could provide. In Babylon. It no doubt looked very appetizing.
But Daniel wasn't going to defile himself and the wine. Wine, as we've been often told, speaks of joy. Are you seeking the joys of this world now, young people? We've had fun during these times together. We've had fun with the activities and fun together. And I'm not here to condemn fun. But where are you finding your joy? Are you finding your joy in Christ? Or are you finding your joy in the wine?
Of this world.
You know, if you're only seeking the fun and amusements of this world, if you're seeking the joys of this world, you're going to bed at night with an empty, aching heart. Be honest with yourself. Oh, it seems so pleasant, the pleasures of sin for a season. But when you're alone and you, you lie on your bed with your eyes open and sleep as fled. I know if you're honest with yourself, there's an aching in your heart. Those things aren't satisfying your hearts.
Young people I know. I know from sad experience that those things don't fill and satisfy your heart.
Daniel was faithful. It was a difficult test. It took courage. It took purpose of heart. But what was the result? We didn't read the verses here, but we find that not only was Daniel blessed because of his faithfulness, but he was an encouragement to three of his peers and young people. I want to tell you.
You're a tremendous encouragement.
To those that know you, when you take a stand for the Lord, you don't realize our brother Paul was speaking at the prayer meeting. I think it was concerning.
The encouragement that some had been in this moment is having an effect on someone else.
You know, it says in Romans, no man liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
00:30:00
And your life and mine at this moment are either a stumble and a discouragement to someone or a help and encouragement. And Daniel here took a stand and he took it alone. You may have to stand alone sometimes, but I believe because of Daniel stand and Daniels, faith and Daniels purpose of heart.
Oh, what a blessing it was to those three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. You want to be an encouragement to the other young people? Take a stand for the Lord, Take a stand for the truth. And when there's compromise and suggestions made to do things that you know are contrary to the word of God, suggestions even amongst the other young people, don't do it. Young people don't compromise the word of God.
You know, I believe young people, that compromise is letting the barrier down slowly. It's taking a row of bricks off the wall, one row at a time. You know, if you have a brick wall and you take A roll of bricks off every once in a while, perhaps nobody notices. It's only 6 or 8 inches gone at a time. But, you know, pretty soon the wall is completely removed. You know, that's what the enemy wants to do. He wants us to just give up a little bit here and there, just take a little of the King's meat, just indulge a little in the joys of this world. It's not going to hurt and everybody's going along with it.
Days when you have to give a little. Young people, I plead with you not to do it. Stand for your God.
He's done so much for you. Stand for the Lord Jesus. He's done so much for you.
Your heart Go out to him. Be occupied with that lovely man in the glory, because I believe where your heart is, your feet will follow and you'll be a true disciple. In the measure in which your heart goes out to the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, does your heart go out to him? Have you, as a result of these meetings this week, got a fresh glimpse of Christ in the glory? If you have, if you've looked up and seen the Lord Jesus there.
The one who is altogether lovely.
Then I am fairly well assured that they will have a practical effect in your life as you leave this camp. There will be a desire and purpose of heart to follow him. And what does it say of Daniel? We're going to have to move quickly. It says just notice a little expression in verse 21. And Daniel continued. Now, I realize this is taking this phrase a little bit out of its context, but I like to read this, Daniel continued. You know, we're going to go on and we're going to see that Daniel did continue.
You know, young people, it's one thing to make a good start, it's another thing to continue. You know the Christian pathway. The Christian race is not the Sprint, it's not the 100 yard dash, it's the marathon. And that's why it says in Hebrews, let us run with endurance. The race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, it takes endurance. If the Lord leaves us here and you go home, it's going to take endurance.
Going to take constant exercise from day-to-day through situation after situation.
But Daniel continued. You know, I think in sad contrast to this of a man in the New Testament, his name is Demus. You know, Demus made a good start. He was listed with the fellow laborers of the apostle Paul.
He worked with other of the servants of the Lord. He was connected with Luke the beloved physician.
What did the apostle Paul have to say at the end of his life? Demas hath forsaken me. Having loved this present age, the spirit of the age came in and drew the heart of Demas away. But here Daniel continued. And my prayer for you is that you'll not just make a good start, but that you'll continue. Because, you know, sometimes occasions like this are a fresh start for us, aren't there? Aren't they?
You know, perhaps there are young people and you came here and you said, well, I really wasn't following the Lord. I'd really got cold in my soul. And I was allowing things in my Christian life that were hindering me in following the Lord. And perhaps you sat under the ministry of the Word, and by the grace of God in the power of the Spirit, the Lord has got a hold of you, and you've had a change of heart. And you say, I really want to follow the Lord now. Sometimes these are fresh beginnings for us.
And I think of that verse in Jeremiah that says, Wilt thou not from this time? I like that from this time cry unto me and say, my father, thou art the guide of my youth. Maybe you haven't followed the Lord the way you you ought to have, but from this time you can look to him for guidance and direction, and for the strength to follow on.
00:35:17
And then to seek daily grace that you might be preserved. And my prayer is that not only will you make a good start, or perhaps even on an occasion like this a fresh start, but that you will continue. Let's go on to the third chapter and look at another incident, not particularly in the life of Daniel, but in connection with his three friends. We're not going to read this for the sake of time. Let's just notice the 25th verse of the third chapter.
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt.
And the form of the 4th is like the Son of God. Well, this is in connection with Daniels, three friends who had been encouraged through Daniels purpose of heart and faithfulness in the first chapter. But, you know, I said earlier, young people, that the tests come for each one of us as individuals. You know, it's wonderful to have a friend who has a desire to follow the Lord, and it's wonderful to receive encouragement from that friend.
David said I am a companion of all them that fear thee and that love thy precepts. I trust that's our desire too. I trust you're seeking your companionship, your friendship amongst those who have a desire to please the Lord. You'll find it'll be a tremendous blessing in your life. But you know the tests come for us as individuals. The King had set up an image of gold. He'd made a decree that at the sound of the music, there were everyone in the Kingdom that had been called to the dedication.
Of this image was to fall down and worship it.
It was a difficult test for these three men and evidently Daniel wasn't present on this occasion.
They couldn't turn and look and let Daniel be the spokesman. They couldn't turn and look and see what their friend was going to do and sort of stand in his shadow. No, the test came for them. What were they going to do? But I believe that they had received such encouragement through Daniel and that through his influence, their faith had been strengthened so that when the test came for them, they were able in the strength of the Lord to stand the test. And they determined that they weren't going to compromise the truth either.
They knew it would be contrary to the word of God to bow down and worship.
This image they knew that they were to worship the Lord, their God and Him only were they to worship.
And they were determined, even at the penalty of death, to be faithful to their God, you know, in the first chapter.
These men were faithful, and God came in, and he made them fairer, and gave them more wisdom than all the other men.
Here it was a little different set of circumstances.
And at the wrath of the King, after remonstrating with them, he decrees that that furnace is to be heated 7 times hotter, and that these men are to be taken and bound and cast into this furnace. You know, it wasn't very nice to think that in faithfulness to their God they were going to have to suffer like that, but they were determined to be faithful at all costs.
You know, I wonder young people, if this was the kind of test that faced you and I this afternoon. I wonder what I would do. What would you do?
Answer that before the Lord in your own heart, you know the Lord gives grace for every situation.
You know, he doesn't always remove the difficulty, does he? You know he didn't deliver them from the fiery furnace. He delivered them through it. God doesn't always remove the the circumstance or the difficulty. Paul had a difficulty and he prayed three times that it might be removed. And the Lord said, no, Paul, I'm not going to remove it. But my grace is sufficient for thee. My strength is made perfect in weakness. David said By my God have I run through the truth. He didn't see the truth removed.
But he said, by my God, if I run through the troop, by my God have I leaped over the wall. He didn't see the wall taken down and removed. The difficulty was there but in the strength of his God. He could run through that troop, and he could leap over that wall. And in the strength of the Lord, you can stand for the truth. You can live for God's glory in this world. You can live as a Christian in obedience to the word of God.
And these three men were taken and cast into the fiery furnace was a difficult trial. But what I particularly have on my heart in connection with this incident is the fact that in the furnace they enjoyed in no doubt a way they had never enjoyed before, a special sense of the Lord's presence with them.
00:40:13
Perhaps you've been through a real trial and difficulty and as you look back you say I wouldn't have missed that for the world because you had in a wonderful way, a special sense of the Lords presence with you young people.
We don't have to ask the Lord to be with us. He'll never leave us nor forsake us. But I do believe that we only enjoy His presence, a sense of his company, when we're faithful to him, when we walk in the path of obedience. You remember Jonah? You know Jonah was a prophet of the Lord. He was one of the Lord's own. But there came a time in his life when he decided that he'd had enough of the Lord's choosing for him. Isn't that sad?
I hope there's no one here who's come to that point where you say I don't want the Lord's choosing for me anymore.
And you know what it says of Jonah? He rose up to flee under Tarshish. Notice this from the presence of the Lord. He lost in his soul a sense of the Lorde presence, and by the time the story is over, Jonah had learned that it wasn't worth the cost.
It seemed perhaps like it was going to be an easier path to run away, but it wasn't worth the cost. There was a loss in his soul.
And when we get to glory and we see Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and we say to them, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, what was the best experience in your life?
You know, I have no doubt. Beyond the shadow of a doubt. I think they'll tell us that this was the best experience of their life. Why? Because they enjoyed a sense of the Lords presence with them. Some of the young people have heard me mention this before, but I was impressed that one time the British press ran a contest and a cash reward was offered to the for the best answer to the question.
What is the shortest way to London?
And the person that received the prize submitted this answer. The shortest way to London is in good company.
You know, young people, we can go through life like that. It might be a furnace of affliction. I'm not going to promise you it's an easy path to follow the Lord. But you can go through this world in good company. You can go through this world in the company of the Lord Jesus Christ. And these men enjoyed a sense, a real sense, of the Lord's presence with them. Well, let's skip over now to the 6th chapter.
Actually, I'd like to mention a verse or two in the fifth in the 5th chapter before we do that.
Chapter 5 and verse 17. Then Daniel answered and said before the king, let thy gifts be to thyself and give thy rewards to another. Yet I will read the writing under the king and make known to him the interpretation. This is in connection with the feast of Belshazzar.
The writing on the wall and Daniel is finally brought in to stand before the king. And the king says to him, if you can read the writing on the wall, I'll give you these three things.
We have them in the verse. Before he was going to give him, he was going to clothe them in scarlet, put a gold chain about his neck and make him third ruler in the Kingdom. And this is the reply that Daniel gave to that king. Now why did Daniel refuse the gifts that the king offered on this occasion?
Well, you know, Daniel knew from the writing on the wall that the Kingdom was ended. Secular history tells us that while Daniel stood before this king, the enemy was already besieging the city. It's interesting when the writing was written, it was written in the future tense, and when Daniel translated it, that he translated it in the present tense. Notice that carefully sometime.
Daniel knew that that Kingdom was under judgment and that it was going to pass away. And scripture tells us that that very night was the king slain and his Kingdom passed to another and young people. Why would Daniel want to be third ruler in a Kingdom that was about to pass away? And why would you and I want to set our affections on things here and our goals and aspiration on things in this world when this world is about to pass away? I believe we've had that verse before us already.
That all these things shall be dissolved. What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness? Young people, the things that you build for down here are going to pass away. The poet put it so well. He said only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last. You know, it's interesting that Daniel's name means judge. God is my judge. And young people I'll never stand before gone as a as a as my judge in the sense of my sins being brought up against me.
00:45:27
Because that's been settled for once and for all. By one offering you have perfected forever them that are sanctified. But we will all appear at the judgment seat of Christ. Everything will be reviewed.
How we planned our lives, what we did with the things God entrusted to us. Everything is going to be manifested there. Even our Spirit and our attitude, I believe, is going to be manifested at the judgment seat of Christ. What will it be when we stand there?
I believe Daniel lived his whole life in relationship to God being his judge.
In the sense in which we have just spoken of it. You know what's interesting too, that if we were to go back to the 25th chapter of Leviticus, we would find that for the children of Israel.
What placed the value on the temporal things that they bought and sold was the nearness of the Year of Jubilee.
Because when the year of Jubilee came, everything had to be returned to its original owner. In other words, if a man bought a field in the 49th year, well, he obviously didn't pay much for it because in a year he had to return it to its original owner. The Lord Jesus is about to come. Our Jubilee is about to take place, and in the measure in which you and I realize this, in the measure in which we are living in the enjoyment of the return of the Lord Jesus at any moment.
In that measure, it's going to have a practical purifying effect on our lives, and in that measure it will place the proper value.
On the temporal things that God has entrusted to us for this little time. Well, quickly I want to look at the a verse in the 6th chapter, verse 10. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house and his windows being opened in his chamber toward Jerusalem. He kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did a four time.
You know young people, I believe this sums up Daniel's life. Daniel had power in his life. He had fruit for God's glory. He had testimony. The Lord took care of his situations. The Lord undertook for him in every way. But I believe this is the secret here. He had purpose of hired in the first chapter. Now we find Daniel as an old man. Years have passed by and we find that Daniel's whole life was characterized.
By prayer.
Again, it was a difficult situation. And you know, just because we get over one situation, just because there's one victory in our lives, young people, doesn't mean that there isn't another problem on the horizon. We're not home yet. The enemy is busy. We're still in the school of God. There's the trials and difficulties, the things that are going to be with us.
As long as we're left here.
A writing was signed that no one was to pray to anyone but the king for a certain period of time. What did Daniel do? He went on with his normal routine. It was the habit of Daniels life to pray three times a day. You know young people, the habits you form now or what are going to characterize your life.
When you get older, what you're forming now is going to be the habit of your life. When you get older, it's too late to wait till you're a little older, to open the word of God and read it each morning. It's too late to wait till you're a little old, he said. Well, I'll wait till I get it through college and I get a job.
I'll wait till we get I get married and then my wife and I will enjoy these things. It's too late then. The habits that you're forming now are what are going to characterize you later on And it was the habit of Daniels life he as he did a four time from the time from chapter one from the time he was a young man. It was the habit of his life to commune with his God three times a day. You know Daniel I don't believe pray just when he got into trouble either.
Wonderful to pray when we get into trouble. But I like this little expression as he did aforetime, because, you know, there were times when things went very well for Daniel. There were times when he was promoted in his business under certain of the kings. In fact, here things had been going very well under the new regime. But you know, it was the habit of Daniel's life to speak to his God three times a day sometimes. Perhaps there wasn't any real burden or request, but he just went into his room and spoke to his God. Do you know what it is to commune with your God?
00:50:09
Do you know what it is to speak to the Lord? You can look it up sometime but in First Timothy chapter 5 and verse 4.
I believe it is where it speaks there of being the food we eat, being sanctified by the word of God in prayer. If you notice Mr. Darby's translation, he translates the word prayer as freely addressing God, that wonderful young people we can come in our room and freely address God.
Because you know, if you have a friend and you only go to that friend when you're in trouble, that friend pretty soon gets tired of you. But you know, if you have a friend and you enjoy the happy times together, then when the problem arises, you say, oh, I can go to that friend, that friend understands me, that friend knows my heart because we've been together and enjoyed fellowship, enjoy fellowship with your God. And then when the situations come, you'll know where to turn. Daniel wasn't overwhelmed by this difficulty. He knew where to turn.
But I want to notice something else too that has impressed me recently in this verse.
You know, they had been instructed. There was a provision made at the dedication of the temple in Solomons day that when the people of God were absent from their land, if they would pray toward Jerusalem, God center, God would hear them. Daniel knew that. And you know it doesn't say here when Daniel went into his room that he opened his windows.
Because he would have been courting persecution if he did.
If he'd shut them, he would have been a coward. But notice this carefully. Scriptures tremendously accurate. Notice this and his windows being open.
He neither opened or closed them on this occasion. Young people, it's not that we go out and look for opportunities to suffer.
But if you are faithful to the Lord, there will be plenty of opportunities. All they that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. So we don't go out and court persecution. We go out, and we, I trust, reflect something of Christ in our lives and in the measure in which we do that there will be.
Persecution the servant is not greater than his Lord. If they hated me, they will hate you also. But I just want to point out here that it was the habit of Daniels life to keep his window open toward Jerusalem, and to come three times a day, day after day after day, and kneel. Independence.
In the way in which they had been instructed in the Old Testament, knowing that the ear of his God was open to his prayer, and we don't have time to go on. But we find that later when the Lord speaks to Daniel, he tells him that his petitions were heard. Young people, when you get before the Lord and you speak to him, and you bring those needs.
You think he doesn't hear? I want to tell you he does here. Maybe he doesn't answer in the way that we would like. Perhaps he doesn't act as quickly as we would like sometimes. But he does hear your prayer and he's seeking your best young people. We've looked at this story very, very quickly. We've mentioned a few things, but I just trust that the spirit of God will take these scriptures concerning Daniel and his three friends and impress them on your soul. And I encourage you to take your Bible and read through the life of Daniel.
Daniel was later on given that wonderful revelation and that vision.
Because because of the things that we have spoken of that were practical in Daniels life. He had purpose of heart. He had confidence in his God. He was a man of prayer. He sought to be faithful. He stood alone, and God blessed him for it. And God will bless you for it. Them that honor me I will honor. And God will use you young people in a wonderful way. If you seek to be faithful to him, I just want to encourage you in closing.
Read your Bible. Let the Lord speak to you.
Speak to him in prayer.
Walk in his company that you might be a help and encouragement to your fellow believer, and that you might be a blessing and a testimony in this world, and that you might have fruit and joy until the Lord Jesus comes. Let's pray.