The Lord’s Decree

Dan 2:19-23 (ESV) Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. [20] Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. [21] He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; [22] he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. [23] To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”

Dan 4:1-3 (ESV) King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! [2] It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. [3] How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.

Dan 4:34-35 (ESV) At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; [35] all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

Dan 4:37 (ESV) Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Dan 6:25-27 (ESV) Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: “Peace be multiplied to you. [26] I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel, for he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end. [27] He delivers and rescues; he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, he who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”

Let’s spend our time this morning blessing the God of Heaven:

Summary of God and his kingdom to this point in Daniel:

1. I Am the Living God—enduring forever.
   1. Because he is the eternally living God (Life itself)
   2. his kingdom will never be destroyed
   3. his dominion will never end. His kingdom will never be given to anyone else because he will forever reign.
   4. He alone is the living God who can give us life.
   5. Psa 9:7-8 (ESV) But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, [8] and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness.
   6. Psa 42:1-2 (ESV) To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah. As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. [2] My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
   7. Psa 84:2 (ESV) My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.
   8. Jer 10:10 (ESV) But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation.
2. I Am the Saving God—he delivers and rescues.
   1. He delivered the wisemen and enchanters and Chaldeans from Nebuchadnezzar’s wrath.
   2. He delivered Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace.
   3. He delivered Daniel from the lion’s den. The den was supposed to be a tomb. But when the stone was rolled away Daniel came out alive because God had rescued him.
   4. He alone is the God who saves. He delivers us from our sin. He delivers us from death. He rescues and restores. He is mighty to save.
   5. Psa 18:46 (ESV) The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation—
   6. Rev 7:10 (ESV) and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
3. I Am the All-wise God—the God who owns wisdom.
   1. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.
   2. He reveals deep and hidden things.
   3. He knows what is in the darkness and the light dwells with him.
   4. Mat 13:53-54 (ESV) And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, [54] and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?
   5. Rom 11:33 (ESV) Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
   6. 1Co 1:23-24 (ESV) but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, [24] but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
4. I am the All-powerful God—the God who owns might.
   1. He changes times and seasons.
   2. He removes kings and he sets up kings.
   3. Psa 21:13 (ESV) Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.
   4. Psa 63:2 (ESV) So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.
   5. 1Co 1:18 (ESV) For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
5. I Am the Sovereign God—he does according to his will.
   1. Among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth.
   2. None can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
   3. All his works are right and his ways are just.
   4. He is the King of heaven. Lord. God. God of heaven. God in heaven. God of gods. Lord of kings. Lord of heaven. God in whose hand is your breath. Most High God.
   5. Act 4:24 (ESV) And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,
   6. 1Ti 1:17 (ESV) To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
   7. 1Ti 6:15-16 (ESV) which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, [16] who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

He’s the God of the nations and the God of the news. Instead of seeing the world around us through eyes of worry, let’s recognize that our God reigns and see the world around us through eyes of wonder.