WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.259 Please take your Bibles and open them up this morning to Daniel chapter 10. 00:00:07.160 --> 00:00:10.720 Daniel chapter 10. If you're just joining us for the first time this morning, 00:00:11.200 --> 00:00:17.199 we are almost at the end of our series in Daniel. We've been preaching through the book of Daniel 00:00:17.199 --> 00:00:21.780 for the past several weeks and then earlier in the year as well. 00:00:22.320 --> 00:00:27.240 And we've been walking straight through and we made our way past the stories in the first half 00:00:27.239 --> 00:00:33.060 and now we're in the visions in the second half. And really what the second half does is it lets us 00:00:33.060 --> 00:00:39.079 peek behind the curtain of the physical and lets us see the spiritual truth and spiritual reality 00:00:39.079 --> 00:00:44.239 that undergirds everything that we see. So what we're going to do this morning is read from Daniel 00:00:44.239 --> 00:00:52.340 chapter 10 verse 1 all the way through 11 verse 35. It's a big chunk this morning and if you're 00:00:52.340 --> 00:00:57.000 wondering if I'm really going to read all of that, yes I am. So if you would, if you're physically 00:00:57.000 --> 00:01:00.000 able, let's stand in honor of the reading of God's word this morning. 00:01:08.680 --> 00:01:14.219 In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a word was revealed to Daniel whose name was 00:01:14.219 --> 00:01:20.719 Belshazzar. And the word was true and it was a great conflict. And he understood the word and had 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:26.680 understanding of the vision. In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. I ate no 00:01:26.680 --> 00:01:32.620 delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all for the full three weeks. 00:01:33.340 --> 00:01:37.820 On the 24th day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river, that is 00:01:37.820 --> 00:01:44.780 the Tigris, I lifted up my eyes and looked and behold a man clothed in linen with a belt of fine 00:01:44.780 --> 00:01:50.719 gold from Ufaz around his waist. His body was like barrel, his face like the appearance of lightning, 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:56.659 his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his 00:01:56.659 --> 00:02:03.120 words like the sound of a multitude. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision. For the men who were with me 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:09.340 did not see the vision, but a great trembling fell upon them and they fled to hide themselves. So I was 00:02:09.340 --> 00:02:15.020 left alone and saw this great vision and no strength was left in me. My radiant appearance was fearfully 00:02:15.020 --> 00:02:21.000 changed and I retained no strength. Then I heard the sound of his words and as I heard the sound of his 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:28.820 words, I fell on my face in deep sleep with my face to the ground. And behold, a hand touched me and set 00:02:28.820 --> 00:02:35.379 me trembling on my hands and knees. And he said to me, O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words 00:02:35.379 --> 00:02:41.160 that I speak to you and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you. And when he had spoken this word 00:02:41.159 --> 00:02:47.819 to me, I stood up trembling. Then he said to me, Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you have 00:02:47.819 --> 00:02:54.460 set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard and I 00:02:54.460 --> 00:03:01.500 have come because of your words. The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me 21 days, but Michael, 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:07.819 one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia and came to make 00:03:07.819 --> 00:03:13.620 you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision is for days yet to 00:03:13.620 --> 00:03:18.819 come. When he had spoken to me according to these words, I turned my face toward the ground and was 00:03:18.819 --> 00:03:26.019 mute. And behold, one in the likeness of the children of man touched my lips. Then I opened my mouth and 00:03:26.019 --> 00:03:33.299 spoke. I said to him who stood before me, O my Lord, by reason of the vision, pains have come upon me and I 00:03:33.300 --> 00:03:39.800 retain no strength. How can my Lord's servant talk with my Lord? For now no strength remains in me and 00:03:39.800 --> 00:03:45.760 no breath is left in me. Again, one having the appearance of a man touched me and strengthened me. 00:03:46.200 --> 00:03:54.100 And he said, O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you, be strong and of good courage. And as he 00:03:54.100 --> 00:03:59.860 spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, let my Lord speak for you have strengthened me. And then he said, 00:03:59.860 --> 00:04:04.980 do you know why I've come to you? But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia. 00:04:05.180 --> 00:04:09.940 And when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come. But I will tell you what is inscribed 00:04:09.940 --> 00:04:15.660 in the book of truth. There is none who contends by my side except against these, except Michael, 00:04:16.080 --> 00:04:22.100 your prince. And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen 00:04:22.100 --> 00:04:29.120 him. And now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia. 00:04:29.860 --> 00:04:34.720 And a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, 00:04:34.980 --> 00:04:41.460 he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. Then a mighty king shall arise who shall rule with 00:04:41.460 --> 00:04:47.660 a great dominion and do as he wills. And as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken and 00:04:47.660 --> 00:04:53.360 divided towards the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to the authority with 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:59.580 which he ruled. For his kingdom shall be plucked up and go to others besides these. Then the king of the 00:04:59.579 --> 00:05:04.759 south shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he and shall rule. And 00:05:04.759 --> 00:05:10.099 his authority shall be a great authority. After some years they shall make an alliance. And the 00:05:10.099 --> 00:05:13.659 daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement. 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:19.620 But she shall not retain the strength of her arm, and he and his arm shall not endure. But she 00:05:19.620 --> 00:05:25.180 shall be given up and her attendance, he who fathered her and he who supported her in those times. 00:05:25.180 --> 00:05:31.900 And from a branch from her roots, one shall arise in his place. He shall come against the army and 00:05:31.900 --> 00:05:35.959 enter the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall prevail. 00:05:36.660 --> 00:05:41.699 He shall also carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of 00:05:41.699 --> 00:05:46.360 silver and gold. And for some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north. 00:05:47.060 --> 00:05:51.600 Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south, but shall return to his own land. 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:57.879 His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming and overflow 00:05:57.879 --> 00:06:03.879 and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress. Then the king of the south, 00:06:04.020 --> 00:06:09.060 moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. And he shall raise a great 00:06:09.060 --> 00:06:14.580 multitude, but it shall be given into his hand. And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be 00:06:14.580 --> 00:06:21.480 exalted, and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. For the king of the north shall 00:06:21.480 --> 00:06:27.500 again raise a multitude greater than the first, and after some years he shall come on with a great army 00:06:27.500 --> 00:06:33.740 and abundant supplies. In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent 00:06:33.740 --> 00:06:39.420 among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall fall, fail. 00:06:40.420 --> 00:06:45.040 Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siege works and take a well-fortified city, 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:51.360 and the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:58.300 to stand. But he who comes against him shall do as he wills, and none shall stand before him. And he 00:06:58.300 --> 00:07:03.759 shall stand in the glorious land with destruction in his hand. He shall set his face to come with the 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:08.939 strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of an agreement and perform them. He shall give 00:07:08.939 --> 00:07:14.280 him the daughter of woman to destroy the kingdom, but it shall not stand or be to his advantage. 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:20.700 Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a commander 00:07:20.700 --> 00:07:27.800 shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed he shall turn his insolence back upon him. Then he shall turn 00:07:27.800 --> 00:07:33.520 his face back towards the fortress of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall and shall not be found. 00:07:34.660 --> 00:07:40.360 Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an exactor of tribute for the glory of the kingdom. 00:07:40.360 --> 00:07:47.420 But within a few days he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle. In his place shall arise a 00:07:47.420 --> 00:07:54.040 contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and 00:07:54.040 --> 00:08:00.560 obtain the kingdom by flatteries. Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:06.120 prince of the covenant. And from the time that an alliance is made with him, he shall act deceitfully, 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:11.680 and he shall become strong with a small people. Without warning, he shall come into the richest 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:16.899 parts of the province and he shall do what neither his fathers nor his father's fathers have done, 00:08:17.540 --> 00:08:23.360 scattering among them plunder, spoil, and goods. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:29.180 for a time. And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great 00:08:29.180 --> 00:08:33.899 army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, 00:08:33.899 --> 00:08:40.860 but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him. Even those who eat his food shall 00:08:40.860 --> 00:08:47.500 break him. His army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. And as for the two kings, 00:08:47.620 --> 00:08:52.879 their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, 00:08:53.539 --> 00:08:58.600 for the end is yet to be at the time appointed. And he shall return to his land with great wealth, 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:03.800 but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return 00:09:03.800 --> 00:09:09.720 to his own land. At the time appointed, he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be 00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:15.240 this time as it was before. For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:20.899 withdraw, and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn 00:09:20.899 --> 00:09:26.460 back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant. Forces from him shall appear and profane 00:09:26.460 --> 00:09:31.840 the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering, and they shall set up the 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:38.019 abomination that makes desolate. He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the 00:09:38.019 --> 00:09:44.759 people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. And the wise among the people shall make 00:09:44.759 --> 00:09:50.519 many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. 00:09:50.519 --> 00:09:56.980 When they stumble, they shall receive a little help, and many shall join themselves to them with 00:09:56.980 --> 00:10:03.659 flattery, and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white 00:10:03.659 --> 00:10:12.759 until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time. All scripture is God-breathed and is 00:10:12.759 --> 00:10:18.000 useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:22.340 complete and perfect for every good work. Let's pray once more. Father, 00:10:24.340 --> 00:10:31.320 this is your holy word, and so we pray, God, would you help us to see truth as you intend us to see it? 00:10:32.340 --> 00:10:36.639 Help us to see the world as you see it with spiritual eyes. Lord, would you help us to 00:10:36.639 --> 00:10:43.159 understand our lives in light of your truth, Father? Help us to trust you in your sovereignty and in your 00:10:43.159 --> 00:10:51.819 goodness. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. You may be seated. Our passage this morning is long, 00:10:51.899 --> 00:10:56.740 and so I will get right to the point this morning. Christians, I don't know if you've noticed this or 00:10:56.740 --> 00:11:06.600 not, are strange people. We are a little bit weird. Christians see and perceive the world 00:11:06.600 --> 00:11:13.840 differently than other people who don't know the Lord see and perceive the world. We understand the 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:18.460 world and all the things that happen within it a little bit differently. I'll give you a couple of 00:11:18.460 --> 00:11:23.879 illustrations to help make my point. One is at Christmas time. I don't know if you've ever seen 00:11:23.879 --> 00:11:29.180 these little glasses that you can pick up at the dollar store. They're these cheap little paper 00:11:29.179 --> 00:11:35.059 glasses with a lens on them, and when you put them on, you can look at any light, Christmas tree light, 00:11:35.139 --> 00:11:41.179 or the lights in this room, and instead of just seeing a plain light, you see snowflakes or little 00:11:41.179 --> 00:11:47.759 Santa heads or snowmen or reindeer. If you don't wear the glasses, of course, you just see what's 00:11:47.759 --> 00:11:53.959 physically there, but with a new lens over your eyes, you get to see something that other people can't 00:11:53.960 --> 00:12:01.879 see. Another illustration. When you go watch a play, it's one thing to sit in the audience 00:12:01.879 --> 00:12:07.620 in front of the curtain, but it's another thing entirely to sit off to the side and to be able 00:12:07.620 --> 00:12:12.800 to peek behind the curtain where you can see what's in front, what everybody gets to see, what the 00:12:12.800 --> 00:12:18.740 audience gets to see in front of the curtain, but you also get to peek behind and see all the different 00:12:18.740 --> 00:12:24.899 moving parts that make the play happen. You see all the props being moved from place to place and 00:12:24.899 --> 00:12:30.820 things being moved here and there. You see costume changes going on and off. You see what's visible to 00:12:30.820 --> 00:12:40.279 everybody, but what's veiled and only visible to some. Here in our passage this morning, in this final 00:12:40.279 --> 00:12:47.659 section of the book of Daniel, we get to peek behind the curtain, and we get to see the world from a 00:12:47.659 --> 00:12:53.039 spiritual, through a spiritual lens. If you're just visiting with us this morning and you are not a 00:12:53.039 --> 00:13:00.399 believer, this morning you get to see how Christians see the world. And what we're going to see is that 00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:05.240 Christians understand the world in two distinct ways. This is going to be our outline this morning 00:13:05.240 --> 00:13:12.100 if you're taking notes. We're going to see two distinct ways that Christians understand all of human 00:13:12.100 --> 00:13:28.800 history. The first is that raging underneath all human history is a spiritual battle. Look there with 00:13:28.800 --> 00:13:34.879 me to the beginning of chapter 10, and right away here in chapter 10, I noticed two strange details. I 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:40.740 wonder if you noticed this as well. We shouldn't overlook this. The first strange detail is that Daniel is 00:13:40.740 --> 00:13:46.960 fasting and praying. And that's not a strange detail, is it? Because all through the book of Daniel, 00:13:46.960 --> 00:13:53.620 we've seen Daniel be marked as a man of prayer. But what's strange is when he's praying. Verse 4 kind 00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:59.740 of gives us a time stamp here, doesn't it? Verse 4 says he was fasting and praying for three whole weeks 00:13:59.740 --> 00:14:08.379 until the 24th day of the first month, which would put this time of fasting right in the middle of the 00:14:08.379 --> 00:14:16.120 Passover. Right in the middle of the feast of unleavened bread. So Daniel is fasting during a time 00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:22.840 that's meant for feasting, and we should ask why. Well, the second odd detail is that all of this is 00:14:22.840 --> 00:14:29.480 happening in the third year of Cyrus's reign. Well, what's strange about that? Well, again, you remember 00:14:29.480 --> 00:14:36.360 Cyrus in the first year of his reign, what did he do? He gave the proclamation that allowed the Jews 00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:44.120 to return back to Jerusalem. But here's Daniel fasting and mourning and praying, not in Jerusalem, 00:14:44.860 --> 00:14:49.740 but here by the Tigris River, it says, when he receives this vision. So what's going on here? Well, 00:14:50.440 --> 00:14:54.740 we have to speculate a little bit. We kind of have to guess a little bit. But it could be that he's 00:14:54.740 --> 00:15:00.560 mourning the relatively small number of Jews that wanted to return back to the promised land. 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:07.500 Or it could be that at his age, at this point, remember Daniel is 80 to 90 years old at this 00:15:07.500 --> 00:15:13.879 point in the book. It could be that he just didn't have the strength or the stamina to make that trip 00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:20.679 and go back and help rebuild the city of Jerusalem. And so instead, what does he do? He spends his time 00:15:20.679 --> 00:15:30.359 fasting and mourning and praying. I just want to make the point here as we begin our time in this 00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:39.419 passage this morning that this is not second-rate service. Daniel knows, of course, he can't go and 00:15:39.419 --> 00:15:46.399 lift heavy beams anymore or fight off the opposition anymore. Those days are long behind him. But what 00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:53.340 can he do at this late stage in his life? He can humble himself and get on his knees and pray. 00:15:53.340 --> 00:16:02.399 How did Daniel contribute to the cause of rebuilding the promised land? He prayed. And I just again want 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:07.840 to make this point that if you are an older saint and I will let you self-identify, okay? I'm not going 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:13.519 to put you in that bucket. But if you self-identify as an older saint and you feel like you have nothing 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:19.700 to contribute to the work of the church, if you feel like that your days of heavy lifting are long 00:16:19.700 --> 00:16:26.379 gone, listen, let me let Daniel prove you wrong this morning, that you have a wonderful way to 00:16:26.379 --> 00:16:32.259 contribute to the work and the mission of the church through your prayers. If you would humble 00:16:32.259 --> 00:16:38.379 yourself and get on your knees and pray, your prayers are vital for the health of this church and 00:16:38.379 --> 00:16:44.660 for the advance of the gospel. And God shows Daniel this, in fact, because what he does next is he peels 00:16:44.659 --> 00:16:51.620 back the curtain and shows Daniel that his prayers are being used as spiritual ammunition in an 00:16:51.620 --> 00:17:00.139 invisible war. Look there to verse 5 with me. After mourning and fasting and praying for three weeks, 00:17:00.259 --> 00:17:07.539 three weeks, church, three weeks of persisting in this, he lifts up his eyes and he sees this 00:17:07.539 --> 00:17:14.079 glorious man. He's not just an ordinary being, is he? And Daniel, he struggles to find words to 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:20.859 describe this being. He's clothed in linen. He's wearing a belt of fine gold. He compares his body 00:17:20.859 --> 00:17:27.419 like barrel. His face is like lightning. His eyes are like flaming torches. He's like these things. 00:17:27.639 --> 00:17:33.079 It's like nothing Daniel's ever seen before. And when he speaks, it sounds like the sound of a multitude 00:17:33.079 --> 00:17:41.119 of people. Now, I am not certain who this being is. It doesn't tell us. Some say that this maybe is 00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:47.659 Gabriel. Others say maybe this is Michael. Others say maybe this is the pre-incarnate Lord Jesus himself. 00:17:48.299 --> 00:17:55.559 I'm not confident enough to say with certainty who it is, but I know this. The fact that a being like this 00:17:55.559 --> 00:18:05.839 actually exists in reality, in the same reality that you and I live in, the fact that a being like this 00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:18.220 exists ought to humble us, church, that ought to cause us to marvel at the unseen spiritual world that is all 00:18:18.220 --> 00:18:28.279 around us every single day. This is a spiritual vision of a spiritual being. And when Daniel sees him 00:18:28.279 --> 00:18:34.399 and when he hears him, what happens? He's overwhelmed and he falls down on his face and he is knocked out 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:41.220 cold. He is impacted by the spiritual vision. But notice this. Daniel says that the other people around 00:18:41.220 --> 00:18:51.140 him that were with him, they didn't see him at all, did they? Why not? I'll tell you why. They couldn't see 00:18:51.140 --> 00:19:02.200 or perceive this spiritual being because spiritual sight is a gift of God's grace. No one who is of the 00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:12.559 flesh can see or comprehend spiritual truth apart from the gracious revelation of God. So here, God, 00:19:12.660 --> 00:19:21.019 again, he graciously peels back the curtain to let Daniel peek into the spiritual realm and to see 00:19:21.019 --> 00:19:29.080 what's been happening over the past three weeks as he mourned and he prayed and he fasted. Look there 00:19:29.079 --> 00:19:37.319 to verse 12. The being says, fear not Daniel for from the first day that you set your heart to 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:46.599 understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard. And I have come because 00:19:46.599 --> 00:19:55.659 of your words, because of his prayers, this being has come to make known to Daniel this truth. But three 00:19:55.660 --> 00:20:06.200 weeks of this, right? Three weeks of mourning and praying and fasting and laboring over this prayer 00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:10.380 with the Lord. Three weeks. And Daniel might have been tempted at some point over those three weeks 00:20:10.380 --> 00:20:19.540 just to think, well, God doesn't hear me. What's the point in continuing in prayer? God doesn't hear me. 00:20:19.539 --> 00:20:26.379 Or even worse, well, God doesn't, God doesn't love me. God doesn't hear my prayers. He doesn't care 00:20:26.379 --> 00:20:30.940 about my, my mourning. God doesn't care about my issues. Why in the world should I continue to pray 00:20:30.940 --> 00:20:40.279 if I'm not receiving any sort of answer? Have you ever felt like that? But here, God graciously sends 00:20:40.279 --> 00:20:51.819 him an answer to say, Daniel, you are loved. You are heard. And your prayers are being used in ways that 00:20:51.819 --> 00:21:00.319 you cannot even begin to imagine. So why in the world, God, did it take three weeks for him to come 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:06.000 with an answer? That's my question. And this is absolutely fascinating. Look there with me to verse 13. 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:14.000 This being, spiritual being, he says, for 21 days, Daniel, how long is that? It's three weeks. 00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:22.460 The same length of time that Daniel has been praying and fasting for 21 days, Daniel, the prince of the 00:21:22.460 --> 00:21:33.000 kingdom of Persia withstood me. In other words, the reason that there was a delay is because of a very 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:43.039 real spiritual opposition. Unseen and unknown to Daniel before this very moment. There is a very 00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:51.380 real spiritual battle beneath the surface happening all the while Daniel is praying and fasting and 00:21:51.380 --> 00:21:58.000 mourning on behalf of the people of God. He says, the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood this 00:21:58.000 --> 00:22:04.259 angel. He opposed him, prevented him from coming to Daniel. And then it says that he was able to get 00:22:04.259 --> 00:22:10.279 out and come to Daniel because Michael came to his help and they, I guess, tag-teamed this prince of 00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:15.480 the kingdom of Persia. And he was able to get out and come and tell Daniel what's written in the book 00:22:15.480 --> 00:22:19.319 of truth. And then he says, well, I'm going to go back and I'm going to fight against the prince of the 00:22:19.319 --> 00:22:25.319 kingdom of Greece next. That's what verses 20 and 21 say. What in the world is happening here? 00:22:25.319 --> 00:22:34.279 It seems to me that the best way to understand this, if we can begin to understand this, 00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:43.519 is number one, that there is an unseen but very real spiritual world all around us. 00:22:44.759 --> 00:22:50.839 What we are a part of here in this universe is not simply physical. There is more than what we can 00:22:50.839 --> 00:22:57.599 see with our eyes and more than what we can touch with our hands. And in that unseen spiritual realm, 00:22:58.379 --> 00:23:09.099 there are principalities and powers of darkness. And apparently some are assigned specifically to 00:23:09.099 --> 00:23:15.619 darken and deceive certain areas or territories of the world. That's what I understand here 00:23:15.619 --> 00:23:21.159 from this passage. There was an earthly king of the kingdom of Persia. There was an earthly physical 00:23:21.159 --> 00:23:27.339 king of the kingdom of Greece. And under the surface of the physical, behind the curtain, 00:23:27.899 --> 00:23:36.459 there were spiritual powers, warring, raging, and waging war. And what's the aim of their war? It's not 00:23:36.459 --> 00:23:44.279 physical. What is it? It's preventing the spread of the truth. What did this prince of the kingdom of 00:23:44.279 --> 00:23:50.279 Persia? Why was he preventing this angelic being from coming to Daniel? Because this angelic being 00:23:50.279 --> 00:23:57.660 was coming to Daniel with the truth to the end that Daniel might continue to pray on behalf of the 00:23:57.660 --> 00:24:06.220 people of God. You know, this is strange to our modern ears, isn't it? We don't often think about 00:24:06.220 --> 00:24:16.160 things like this, do we? But again, Christians are strange. Christians have a strange, different, 00:24:16.420 --> 00:24:21.559 unique perspective on the world. We understand, again, that what we can see with our eyes and 00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:29.980 touch with our hands is not all that there is in the world. There are very real spiritual forces at work. 00:24:29.980 --> 00:24:36.960 You might think of the story of Elisha and his servant from the Old Testament. They looked out 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:42.220 with physical eyes and saw that they were outnumbered by a physical army. And the servant says, 00:24:42.339 --> 00:24:46.920 Elisha, there's no way we can do war against this army. We're outnumbered. And what does Elisha do? 00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:53.140 He prays and he asks the Lord, Lord, open up his eyes. And the Lord answers the prayer. And what happens? 00:24:53.140 --> 00:25:01.500 It says the mountains were full of the army of the Lord. Unseen before that moment, unknown before 00:25:01.500 --> 00:25:08.780 that moment, but real nonetheless. What did we read earlier from the book of Ephesians? Paul says, 00:25:08.900 --> 00:25:13.980 We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, 00:25:14.840 --> 00:25:20.200 against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil 00:25:20.200 --> 00:25:25.200 and the heavenly places. We are in a very real spiritual battle. 00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:32.559 Abraham Kuyper, the famous Dutch theologian, he said, 00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:38.600 If once the curtain were pulled back and the spiritual world behind it came into view, 00:25:38.819 --> 00:25:47.640 it would expose to our spiritual vision a struggle so intense, so convulsive, so sweeping, 00:25:47.640 --> 00:25:53.920 everything within its range that the fiercest battle ever fought on earth would seem by comparison 00:25:53.920 --> 00:25:55.520 a mere game. 00:25:59.360 --> 00:26:03.560 I wonder if we live with this battle in mind. 00:26:05.520 --> 00:26:12.880 I wonder if we wake up tomorrow morning and go to work with this spiritual battle in mind. 00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:18.100 Or, I wonder if it's an afterthought for us. 00:26:19.120 --> 00:26:25.700 It's so easy for us to get caught up in our daily lives and our busyness and whatever's next to do on our to-do list 00:26:25.700 --> 00:26:30.520 that the extraordinary, the spiritual, it barely crosses our minds. 00:26:30.640 --> 00:26:34.060 And listen, that is exactly how the enemy wants it to be. 00:26:34.059 --> 00:26:40.079 The enemy does not want you engaging with spiritual truth. 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:45.039 He does not want you humbling yourself and getting on your knees to pray. 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:49.779 He doesn't want you here right now listening to the word of God preached. 00:26:49.879 --> 00:26:51.519 He hates what we're doing right now. 00:26:51.940 --> 00:26:56.859 And he will do anything and everything he can to keep you from these things. 00:26:56.859 --> 00:27:02.259 So how do we do battle against these spiritual forces of evil? 00:27:03.139 --> 00:27:05.859 How do we wage war against these beings? 00:27:05.979 --> 00:27:10.419 If they're anything as strong as what Daniel saw, how do we even begin to fight against them? 00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:12.919 You do as Daniel did. 00:27:13.899 --> 00:27:18.139 You commit yourself to humble, persistent prayer. 00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:22.139 Church, prayer is joining the spiritual fight. 00:27:23.219 --> 00:27:26.019 You know, we often talk about prayer as if it's a last resort. 00:27:26.019 --> 00:27:28.960 If I can't do anything else, maybe at least I'll pray for you. 00:27:30.059 --> 00:27:34.180 Prayer is powerful ammunition against the forces of darkness. 00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:40.420 God uses the prayers of the saints to accomplish his purposes in the world. 00:27:40.519 --> 00:27:46.879 Do you want to know how to peel back the influence of Satan and the kingdom of darkness on our community here in Ondal? 00:27:47.099 --> 00:27:47.639 Pray. 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:52.960 Do you want to see your friends and family members and neighbors and co-workers 00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:57.480 finally grasp the spiritual truth that you've been trying to communicate to them, 00:27:57.539 --> 00:27:58.900 but they just can't see it? 00:27:59.539 --> 00:27:59.980 Pray. 00:28:00.819 --> 00:28:01.840 Ask the Lord. 00:28:02.380 --> 00:28:05.059 And maybe it'll take weeks, maybe months, maybe years. 00:28:05.420 --> 00:28:06.279 But pray. 00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:09.039 Humble yourself and pray. 00:28:09.140 --> 00:28:11.420 Do you want to see the Lord grow this church 00:28:11.420 --> 00:28:14.980 and make it a beacon of the truth of the gospel for this community? 00:28:15.660 --> 00:28:15.960 Pray. 00:28:15.960 --> 00:28:16.259 Pray. 00:28:17.100 --> 00:28:18.140 Humble yourself. 00:28:18.900 --> 00:28:19.500 And pray. 00:28:19.500 --> 00:28:28.839 Christians know that underneath all the events that can be seen with our eyes on the surface of human history, 00:28:29.119 --> 00:28:32.500 underneath all of it is a raging spiritual battle. 00:28:33.259 --> 00:28:37.740 And we join the fight when we get on our knees and pray. 00:28:37.900 --> 00:28:39.599 Is the application clear for you this morning? 00:28:39.599 --> 00:28:45.299 And we pray with confidence because of our second point this morning. 00:28:46.379 --> 00:28:54.639 Second, Christians understand that reigning over all of human history is a sovereign God. 00:28:56.019 --> 00:29:00.399 Raging underneath all of human history is a spiritual battle, yes, 00:29:00.519 --> 00:29:05.939 but reigning over all of human history is a sovereign God. 00:29:05.940 --> 00:29:08.940 This is why we can pray with any degree of confidence, church, 00:29:09.380 --> 00:29:11.779 because we know that God is in control. 00:29:13.120 --> 00:29:14.480 And that's what sovereign means. 00:29:14.580 --> 00:29:16.960 It means in charge, in control. 00:29:17.440 --> 00:29:24.380 Christians, we have the strange, peaceful perspective of knowing that God in His wisdom 00:29:24.380 --> 00:29:31.019 is orchestrating all of the events of human history from big to small 00:29:31.019 --> 00:29:35.759 for the good of His people and the magnification of His glory. 00:29:36.359 --> 00:29:38.559 This is what we see in chapter 11, if you look there with me. 00:29:38.660 --> 00:29:39.299 Chapter 11. 00:29:40.500 --> 00:29:47.400 Chapter 11 gives us some of the strongest and clearest examples of biblical prophecy 00:29:47.400 --> 00:29:51.539 and historical fulfillment in the entire Bible. 00:29:52.559 --> 00:29:57.440 This chapter is impossible apart from a completely sovereign God. 00:29:57.440 --> 00:30:05.420 One who can tell history in advance because He is the author and the director of all of human history. 00:30:05.620 --> 00:30:10.080 So what I want to do here in chapter 11 is just show you the connection, 00:30:10.420 --> 00:30:14.019 the link between prophecy and fulfillment. 00:30:15.380 --> 00:30:16.460 Prophecy and fulfillment. 00:30:16.820 --> 00:30:20.259 And you may be pleased to hear we will not get to all of it this morning. 00:30:20.680 --> 00:30:23.259 There's a lot in there, but I just want to show you some, 00:30:23.259 --> 00:30:26.860 just so you can see just how exact these prophecies are. 00:30:27.440 --> 00:30:29.779 Look there at verses 2 through 4, chapter 11. 00:30:30.980 --> 00:30:33.779 These verses give us some prophecy about Persia and Greece. 00:30:33.920 --> 00:30:38.120 In fact, these verses span just about 200 years worth of history. 00:30:38.320 --> 00:30:38.500 It says, 00:30:38.880 --> 00:30:41.320 Three more kings will arise in Persia, 00:30:41.420 --> 00:30:43.360 and the fourth shall be richer, 00:30:43.519 --> 00:30:48.500 and through his riches he shall stir up against the realm of Greece. 00:30:48.580 --> 00:30:49.340 That's the prophecy. 00:30:49.539 --> 00:30:50.880 Is there anything like that in history? 00:30:50.880 --> 00:30:54.300 This fourth king is King Xerxes. 00:30:54.560 --> 00:30:55.920 This is the fourth king from Cyrus, 00:30:56.080 --> 00:31:01.360 and history shows us that Xerxes spent a fortune raising up his army, 00:31:01.600 --> 00:31:04.500 and then he took that large and expensive army, 00:31:04.580 --> 00:31:05.380 and where did he go with it? 00:31:05.420 --> 00:31:07.000 He brought them against the Greeks. 00:31:07.420 --> 00:31:09.400 Prophecy, fulfillment. 00:31:10.780 --> 00:31:13.440 Verse 3 tells us a mighty king will arise. 00:31:13.660 --> 00:31:15.080 He's going to rise to power, 00:31:15.079 --> 00:31:17.439 and then his kingdom is going to be broken and divided, 00:31:17.659 --> 00:31:20.139 but not to his own posterity. 00:31:20.299 --> 00:31:21.699 Is there anything like that in history? 00:31:22.460 --> 00:31:25.159 We already have a sense of who this is. 00:31:25.199 --> 00:31:26.460 This is Alexander the Great. 00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:29.439 Alexander the Goat from chapter 8. 00:31:30.460 --> 00:31:34.119 And again, history shows us that Alexander was mighty. 00:31:34.259 --> 00:31:35.460 He did as he pleased, 00:31:35.460 --> 00:31:37.120 and his children, 00:31:37.319 --> 00:31:39.360 his sons were assassinated. 00:31:39.740 --> 00:31:40.620 Alexander fell, 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:41.940 his sons were assassinated, 00:31:42.059 --> 00:31:43.660 and his empire was divided, 00:31:43.779 --> 00:31:45.100 not to his posterity, 00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:48.259 but it split into four less powerful kingdoms. 00:31:48.660 --> 00:31:50.700 Prophecy, fulfillment. 00:31:52.259 --> 00:31:54.180 This next long section, 00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:55.980 verses 3 through 35, 00:31:56.200 --> 00:31:58.180 it focuses in on two of these divisions, 00:31:58.420 --> 00:31:59.200 two of these kingdoms, 00:31:59.340 --> 00:32:00.920 the Seleucid kings in Syria, 00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:03.220 and the Ptolemaic kings in Egypt. 00:32:03.220 --> 00:32:04.920 These are the kings of the north, 00:32:05.000 --> 00:32:06.039 and the kings of the south. 00:32:06.200 --> 00:32:07.660 But we should really ask, 00:32:07.759 --> 00:32:08.839 well, north and south of where? 00:32:11.200 --> 00:32:13.620 These are over in the Middle East somewhere, 00:32:13.860 --> 00:32:15.000 and if you look at a map, 00:32:15.059 --> 00:32:16.200 they're pretty close together. 00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:18.100 North and south of where? 00:32:18.279 --> 00:32:22.120 Well, these two close countries 00:32:22.120 --> 00:32:24.680 are geographically close to each other, 00:32:24.759 --> 00:32:26.700 but right there in between them 00:32:26.700 --> 00:32:28.700 is the glorious land. 00:32:29.960 --> 00:32:32.140 These directions are north and south 00:32:32.140 --> 00:32:33.620 of the promised land. 00:32:33.700 --> 00:32:34.320 But again, remember, 00:32:34.440 --> 00:32:37.300 this isn't history from a secular perspective. 00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:37.920 If it was, 00:32:37.980 --> 00:32:39.140 Alexander the Great would get 00:32:39.140 --> 00:32:41.440 much longer than a verse or two, right? 00:32:42.560 --> 00:32:44.880 This is history from God's perspective. 00:32:45.880 --> 00:32:47.220 And he's focusing in on 00:32:47.220 --> 00:32:48.980 his covenant people 00:32:48.980 --> 00:32:50.720 and his covenant promises. 00:32:50.920 --> 00:32:52.259 The kingdoms of the world 00:32:52.259 --> 00:32:54.360 are warring and raging, 00:32:54.840 --> 00:32:56.120 and the city of God 00:32:56.120 --> 00:32:58.740 is right there caught in the crossfire. 00:32:58.820 --> 00:33:00.140 That's a pretty good summary 00:33:00.140 --> 00:33:01.540 of all of human history, really. 00:33:02.720 --> 00:33:03.759 So let me try and give you 00:33:03.759 --> 00:33:05.080 a quick summary here. 00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:07.280 Again, kings of the south here 00:33:07.280 --> 00:33:07.900 in verse 5, 00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:09.960 that's Egypt under Ptolemy. 00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:11.960 Kings of the north 00:33:11.960 --> 00:33:14.280 is Seleucus in Syria. 00:33:14.660 --> 00:33:16.420 And look at verse 6, prophecy. 00:33:17.700 --> 00:33:18.860 Prophesies that the daughter 00:33:18.860 --> 00:33:20.180 of the king of the south 00:33:20.180 --> 00:33:22.620 will go to the king of the north 00:33:22.620 --> 00:33:23.780 and make an agreement, 00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:25.840 but it won't last. 00:33:25.900 --> 00:33:27.600 That seems oddly specific, 00:33:27.599 --> 00:33:28.279 doesn't it? 00:33:29.359 --> 00:33:30.059 And we should ask, 00:33:30.179 --> 00:33:31.259 does anything like this 00:33:31.259 --> 00:33:32.339 happen in the pages 00:33:32.339 --> 00:33:33.659 of human history? 00:33:34.839 --> 00:33:35.599 Listen to this. 00:33:35.679 --> 00:33:37.419 This is better than your soap operas. 00:33:37.859 --> 00:33:37.959 Okay? 00:33:38.719 --> 00:33:40.679 Seleucus and Ptolemy 00:33:40.679 --> 00:33:42.599 attempted a marriage alliance. 00:33:43.599 --> 00:33:44.219 And they paired up 00:33:44.219 --> 00:33:45.059 Ptolemy's daughter, 00:33:45.179 --> 00:33:45.799 Berenice, 00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:46.759 beautiful name, 00:33:47.539 --> 00:33:48.839 and Seleucus' grandson, 00:33:48.980 --> 00:33:50.019 Antiochus II. 00:33:50.199 --> 00:33:51.019 But they didn't live 00:33:51.019 --> 00:33:52.500 happily ever after again. 00:33:53.059 --> 00:33:54.039 History shows us 00:33:54.039 --> 00:33:55.639 that shortly after this marriage, 00:33:55.640 --> 00:33:56.759 Ptolemy died. 00:33:57.600 --> 00:33:59.480 Antiochus divorced his new wife. 00:33:59.580 --> 00:34:01.320 He went back to his old wife 00:34:01.320 --> 00:34:03.060 who got jealous and paranoid. 00:34:03.259 --> 00:34:04.700 And so she poisoned him 00:34:04.700 --> 00:34:06.660 and had her son murder 00:34:06.660 --> 00:34:07.780 the new ex-wife 00:34:07.780 --> 00:34:09.680 so that he could now become king. 00:34:09.760 --> 00:34:10.460 Are y'all following here? 00:34:11.240 --> 00:34:12.059 Everybody with me? 00:34:13.519 --> 00:34:15.480 Safe to say the alliance was off. 00:34:15.680 --> 00:34:17.240 So prophecy, verse 7, 00:34:17.420 --> 00:34:19.019 one arose in his place, 00:34:19.780 --> 00:34:20.599 came with an army 00:34:20.599 --> 00:34:21.760 to go deal with the king 00:34:21.760 --> 00:34:22.340 of the north. 00:34:22.340 --> 00:34:24.440 That would be sweet Berenice's brother, 00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:25.559 Ptolemy III. 00:34:26.300 --> 00:34:27.160 He rose up, 00:34:27.240 --> 00:34:28.300 killed the old wife, 00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:29.700 overtook the northern kingdom. 00:34:30.600 --> 00:34:32.320 So Lucas Kellynicus came 00:34:32.320 --> 00:34:34.160 and he came against Ptolemy, 00:34:34.260 --> 00:34:35.780 but as verse 9 prophesied, 00:34:35.860 --> 00:34:36.960 he was not successful. 00:34:37.180 --> 00:34:38.280 And so his sons, 00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:38.940 verse 10, 00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:39.960 kept the war going 00:34:39.960 --> 00:34:41.100 and Antiochus III 00:34:41.100 --> 00:34:42.220 went so far 00:34:42.220 --> 00:34:43.780 as reaching Ptolemy's fortress. 00:34:43.900 --> 00:34:44.940 Are y'all following this? 00:34:46.460 --> 00:34:46.760 You know, 00:34:46.820 --> 00:34:48.500 as I planned to read 00:34:48.500 --> 00:34:49.200 and preach 00:34:49.200 --> 00:34:50.200 through the book of Daniel, 00:34:50.199 --> 00:34:51.899 one of the reasons why I did so 00:34:51.899 --> 00:34:53.639 was because there were several pages. 00:34:53.819 --> 00:34:55.639 I take notes in the margins of my Bible 00:34:55.639 --> 00:34:56.739 and in Daniel, 00:34:56.859 --> 00:34:57.699 there were several pages 00:34:57.699 --> 00:34:59.079 that didn't have any notes. 00:35:00.019 --> 00:35:01.000 And these were some of them 00:35:01.000 --> 00:35:02.039 here this morning, 00:35:02.159 --> 00:35:03.239 full disclosure to you. 00:35:03.659 --> 00:35:05.059 But as I studied this week 00:35:05.059 --> 00:35:06.079 for this sermon, 00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:07.480 what I realized 00:35:07.480 --> 00:35:08.699 was that it's not because 00:35:08.699 --> 00:35:10.359 I was a poor student of the Bible. 00:35:10.519 --> 00:35:12.259 It's because I was a poor student of history. 00:35:14.139 --> 00:35:16.579 Take these prophecies 00:35:16.579 --> 00:35:18.139 here in verse 11 00:35:18.139 --> 00:35:20.619 and lay them directly 00:35:20.619 --> 00:35:22.159 on top of the pages 00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:23.199 of human history 00:35:23.199 --> 00:35:26.039 and they are identical. 00:35:28.179 --> 00:35:29.619 But it's not history 00:35:29.619 --> 00:35:31.099 here in the Bible, is it? 00:35:31.759 --> 00:35:33.299 This is prophecy. 00:35:34.339 --> 00:35:36.099 Any historian can look backwards 00:35:36.099 --> 00:35:37.299 in the pages of history 00:35:37.299 --> 00:35:38.519 and see what's happened. 00:35:38.719 --> 00:35:41.219 God here is revealing to Daniel 00:35:41.219 --> 00:35:43.619 what is to come. 00:35:43.619 --> 00:35:47.019 Verses 11-20 00:35:47.019 --> 00:35:48.579 give us more of the same. 00:35:49.299 --> 00:35:51.380 Verses 21-35 00:35:51.380 --> 00:35:52.799 give us another look 00:35:52.799 --> 00:35:54.179 at Antiochus Epiphanes. 00:35:54.259 --> 00:35:56.239 You remember Antiochus Epiphanes? 00:35:57.179 --> 00:35:58.359 Deceived the Jews, 00:35:59.259 --> 00:36:00.199 obtained the kingdom 00:36:00.199 --> 00:36:01.039 by flatteries, 00:36:01.099 --> 00:36:01.659 verse 21. 00:36:02.639 --> 00:36:03.259 And once he gained 00:36:03.259 --> 00:36:04.179 a stronghold there, 00:36:04.319 --> 00:36:06.119 he went and he attacked Egypt 00:36:06.119 --> 00:36:06.960 while he was there. 00:36:07.099 --> 00:36:07.960 A rumor spread 00:36:07.960 --> 00:36:08.679 amongst the Jews 00:36:08.679 --> 00:36:09.579 that he had died. 00:36:10.279 --> 00:36:10.639 And apparently, 00:36:10.779 --> 00:36:12.259 the Jews celebrated that fact. 00:36:12.260 --> 00:36:14.120 So when Antiochus 00:36:14.120 --> 00:36:15.380 came back to Jerusalem 00:36:15.380 --> 00:36:16.960 to see them celebrating 00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:18.460 and to see his former followers 00:36:18.460 --> 00:36:19.120 had been killed, 00:36:19.220 --> 00:36:20.280 his heart was set 00:36:20.280 --> 00:36:21.480 against the Holy Covenant. 00:36:21.620 --> 00:36:22.320 Verse 28. 00:36:23.280 --> 00:36:24.500 So he plundered the temple, 00:36:25.540 --> 00:36:26.520 desecrated it, 00:36:27.040 --> 00:36:28.140 set up idols in it, 00:36:28.180 --> 00:36:29.380 and murdered thousands 00:36:29.380 --> 00:36:30.860 of the Jews 00:36:30.860 --> 00:36:32.500 exactly as God 00:36:32.500 --> 00:36:33.860 has prophesied 00:36:33.860 --> 00:36:35.820 here in Daniel chapter 11. 00:36:36.040 --> 00:36:36.220 Now, 00:36:37.480 --> 00:36:38.340 that's enough history 00:36:38.340 --> 00:36:39.420 for today. 00:36:39.420 --> 00:36:43.240 What's the point for us? 00:36:45.079 --> 00:36:46.780 The purpose here 00:36:46.780 --> 00:36:48.920 isn't just to give 00:36:48.920 --> 00:36:50.680 Daniel tomorrow's news 00:36:50.680 --> 00:36:51.360 today, 00:36:51.960 --> 00:36:52.360 is it? 00:36:53.340 --> 00:36:55.159 The purpose here 00:36:55.159 --> 00:36:56.119 is to deepen 00:36:56.119 --> 00:36:57.760 Daniel's trust 00:36:57.760 --> 00:36:59.980 in a totally sovereign God. 00:37:01.260 --> 00:37:02.720 That's the purpose for us 00:37:02.720 --> 00:37:03.619 as well this morning 00:37:03.619 --> 00:37:04.720 as we read this prophecy. 00:37:05.139 --> 00:37:06.800 The point of these prophecies 00:37:06.800 --> 00:37:08.480 is to remind Daniel 00:37:08.480 --> 00:37:10.080 and to remind us 00:37:10.080 --> 00:37:10.680 this morning 00:37:10.680 --> 00:37:12.480 that even in the midst 00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:14.260 of the raging chaos 00:37:14.260 --> 00:37:15.519 of the world, 00:37:15.900 --> 00:37:17.720 that there is a God 00:37:17.720 --> 00:37:19.860 who reigns and rules 00:37:19.860 --> 00:37:22.000 over all of human history. 00:37:23.660 --> 00:37:25.539 When these nations rage 00:37:25.539 --> 00:37:27.180 and war against each other 00:37:27.180 --> 00:37:28.039 and the people of God 00:37:28.039 --> 00:37:29.260 are right there 00:37:29.260 --> 00:37:30.240 caught in the middle 00:37:30.240 --> 00:37:31.100 of the crossfire, 00:37:31.200 --> 00:37:32.360 the natural response 00:37:32.360 --> 00:37:33.340 is panic 00:37:33.340 --> 00:37:34.760 and distress 00:37:34.760 --> 00:37:36.059 and anxiety, 00:37:36.380 --> 00:37:38.180 but that's the natural response. 00:37:39.079 --> 00:37:40.460 The Christian response 00:37:40.460 --> 00:37:42.039 is trust 00:37:42.039 --> 00:37:42.820 in a holy 00:37:42.820 --> 00:37:44.440 and sovereign God 00:37:44.440 --> 00:37:44.920 who says, 00:37:45.220 --> 00:37:45.460 Daniel, 00:37:45.599 --> 00:37:46.539 none of this 00:37:46.539 --> 00:37:47.039 is catching me 00:37:47.039 --> 00:37:47.760 by surprise. 00:37:49.360 --> 00:37:49.780 In fact, 00:37:49.880 --> 00:37:50.519 all of it 00:37:50.519 --> 00:37:51.120 is according 00:37:51.120 --> 00:37:53.099 to my sovereign plan 00:37:53.099 --> 00:37:54.079 for your good 00:37:54.079 --> 00:37:56.720 and for my glory. 00:37:56.920 --> 00:37:57.260 Church, 00:37:58.599 --> 00:37:59.360 when storms 00:37:59.360 --> 00:38:00.220 come through 00:38:00.220 --> 00:38:02.780 and rage destruction 00:38:02.780 --> 00:38:03.740 on the upstate 00:38:03.740 --> 00:38:04.680 and take out 00:38:04.680 --> 00:38:05.820 entire towns 00:38:05.820 --> 00:38:06.940 with floods 00:38:06.940 --> 00:38:07.640 and with water, 00:38:07.760 --> 00:38:09.519 when wars break out 00:38:09.519 --> 00:38:10.420 all over the world, 00:38:11.320 --> 00:38:12.320 when election cycles 00:38:12.320 --> 00:38:12.800 come up 00:38:12.800 --> 00:38:13.760 every four years 00:38:13.760 --> 00:38:14.539 and it seems like 00:38:14.539 --> 00:38:16.180 the sky is falling, 00:38:17.599 --> 00:38:19.280 Christians remember 00:38:19.280 --> 00:38:20.620 and trust 00:38:20.620 --> 00:38:22.599 that our God 00:38:22.599 --> 00:38:23.860 is sovereign 00:38:23.860 --> 00:38:25.519 over it all. 00:38:26.800 --> 00:38:27.200 Yes, 00:38:27.400 --> 00:38:28.660 there is a spiritual battle. 00:38:28.659 --> 00:38:29.139 Yes, 00:38:29.279 --> 00:38:30.899 the nations rage, 00:38:31.000 --> 00:38:31.619 but we have 00:38:31.619 --> 00:38:32.679 by the grace of God 00:38:32.679 --> 00:38:33.619 been given eyes 00:38:33.619 --> 00:38:34.420 to see 00:38:34.420 --> 00:38:36.019 that our sovereign God 00:38:36.019 --> 00:38:36.659 has triumphed 00:38:37.399 --> 00:38:38.619 over the powers 00:38:38.619 --> 00:38:39.579 of sin and darkness 00:38:39.579 --> 00:38:40.179 by sending 00:38:40.179 --> 00:38:41.379 His own Son 00:38:41.379 --> 00:38:43.579 to live 00:38:43.579 --> 00:38:45.319 and to die 00:38:45.319 --> 00:38:46.960 and to rise 00:38:46.960 --> 00:38:48.059 in victory 00:38:48.059 --> 00:38:50.139 for all His people. 00:38:50.279 --> 00:38:50.659 He has triumphed 00:38:51.579 --> 00:38:52.920 over the powers 00:38:52.920 --> 00:38:54.059 of sin and darkness. 00:38:55.059 --> 00:38:56.639 So then come what may, 00:38:56.739 --> 00:38:57.940 if we are in Him 00:38:57.940 --> 00:38:58.679 by faith, 00:38:58.760 --> 00:38:59.740 we can rest 00:38:59.740 --> 00:39:00.619 and be at peace 00:39:00.619 --> 00:39:02.440 and trust our sovereign God 00:39:02.440 --> 00:39:03.920 knowing that our greatest needs 00:39:03.920 --> 00:39:04.720 have been met 00:39:04.720 --> 00:39:06.360 and our future is secure. 00:39:06.500 --> 00:39:07.360 Whatever happens 00:39:07.360 --> 00:39:08.920 here and now, 00:39:09.039 --> 00:39:10.460 it is well with our soul. 00:39:10.780 --> 00:39:10.980 Amen? 00:39:14.420 --> 00:39:14.820 Church, 00:39:14.880 --> 00:39:15.159 this morning, 00:39:15.240 --> 00:39:15.679 we've been given 00:39:15.679 --> 00:39:17.300 a peek behind the curtain 00:39:17.300 --> 00:39:20.179 to see the spiritual battle 00:39:20.179 --> 00:39:20.740 underneath 00:39:20.740 --> 00:39:22.039 and the sovereign God 00:39:22.039 --> 00:39:23.559 above all things. 00:39:23.559 --> 00:39:24.840 so how should we respond 00:39:24.840 --> 00:39:25.860 to these things? 00:39:25.940 --> 00:39:27.059 I read one commentator 00:39:27.059 --> 00:39:27.480 this week 00:39:27.480 --> 00:39:27.739 who, 00:39:28.139 --> 00:39:29.920 on Daniel 11 especially, 00:39:30.099 --> 00:39:30.320 he said, 00:39:30.400 --> 00:39:31.199 I don't see how anybody 00:39:31.199 --> 00:39:32.079 could preach this chapter. 00:39:33.460 --> 00:39:34.380 And at times, 00:39:34.480 --> 00:39:35.820 I understood what he meant. 00:39:37.820 --> 00:39:39.059 But I want to prove him wrong, 00:39:39.199 --> 00:39:40.980 so I have six applications 00:39:40.980 --> 00:39:42.239 for you this morning 00:39:42.239 --> 00:39:43.639 as we close. 00:39:43.779 --> 00:39:44.699 Six applications. 00:39:45.860 --> 00:39:47.799 Because God is sovereign, 00:39:47.940 --> 00:39:48.519 number one, 00:39:48.639 --> 00:39:48.900 church, 00:39:48.900 --> 00:39:51.400 trust him in your perplexity. 00:39:52.599 --> 00:39:54.160 Because God is sovereign, 00:39:54.960 --> 00:39:56.559 trust him in your perplexity. 00:39:56.639 --> 00:39:58.059 When you don't understand 00:39:58.059 --> 00:39:59.680 what's going on out there, 00:39:59.760 --> 00:40:00.519 when you don't understand 00:40:00.519 --> 00:40:01.920 what's going on in here, 00:40:02.579 --> 00:40:04.599 trust that the Lord does. 00:40:05.480 --> 00:40:06.500 He knows. 00:40:07.180 --> 00:40:08.280 He understands. 00:40:09.099 --> 00:40:10.240 He knows what's best. 00:40:10.420 --> 00:40:12.380 Trust him in your perplexity. 00:40:12.500 --> 00:40:12.960 Number two, 00:40:13.079 --> 00:40:15.099 trust him over your plans. 00:40:16.639 --> 00:40:17.119 Church, 00:40:17.160 --> 00:40:18.680 would you hold your plans loosely? 00:40:19.639 --> 00:40:21.920 I know some of y'all are control. 00:40:22.220 --> 00:40:23.139 I won't call you freaks, 00:40:23.260 --> 00:40:24.920 but that's how I am sometimes. 00:40:26.059 --> 00:40:27.880 Trust him over your plans. 00:40:27.960 --> 00:40:28.960 Did you notice how many times 00:40:28.960 --> 00:40:30.260 the word but shows up 00:40:30.260 --> 00:40:30.860 in this passage? 00:40:31.280 --> 00:40:31.880 You notice that? 00:40:32.840 --> 00:40:33.460 Verse 4, 00:40:33.559 --> 00:40:34.220 verse 6, 00:40:34.700 --> 00:40:35.280 verse 7, 00:40:35.380 --> 00:40:36.079 verse 9, 00:40:36.660 --> 00:40:37.340 verse 11, 00:40:37.480 --> 00:40:38.019 verse 12, 00:40:38.119 --> 00:40:38.820 verse 14, 00:40:38.940 --> 00:40:39.559 verse 18, 00:40:39.700 --> 00:40:40.360 verse 19, 00:40:40.579 --> 00:40:40.880 20, 00:40:40.960 --> 00:40:41.320 21, 00:40:41.460 --> 00:40:41.940 25, 00:40:42.059 --> 00:40:42.579 27, 00:40:42.780 --> 00:40:43.599 and 29. 00:40:44.160 --> 00:40:46.240 And every time it shows up 00:40:46.240 --> 00:40:46.860 in this passage, 00:40:46.920 --> 00:40:47.559 you know what it is? 00:40:47.559 --> 00:40:49.219 It's when a king makes a plan, 00:40:49.320 --> 00:40:50.639 but God has something different planned. 00:40:52.920 --> 00:40:54.360 Trust him over your plans. 00:40:54.539 --> 00:40:55.000 Number three, 00:40:55.820 --> 00:40:57.980 trust him over your princes. 00:40:59.360 --> 00:41:00.840 Because God is sovereign. 00:41:01.699 --> 00:41:04.340 Trust him over your princes. 00:41:04.559 --> 00:41:07.579 Let Antiochus be another reminder for you again this morning. 00:41:07.579 --> 00:41:10.599 Put not your trust in princes. 00:41:11.900 --> 00:41:12.579 Leaders, 00:41:13.960 --> 00:41:14.519 politicians, 00:41:16.000 --> 00:41:16.460 teachers 00:41:16.460 --> 00:41:20.000 will come with smooth words of flattery 00:41:20.000 --> 00:41:22.900 and they will attempt to deceive you. 00:41:23.380 --> 00:41:25.880 Trust them to the extent 00:41:25.880 --> 00:41:28.980 that they lead you to love and follow the Lord 00:41:28.980 --> 00:41:31.699 who is the Lord of all the authorities on the earth. 00:41:31.779 --> 00:41:31.960 Amen? 00:41:31.960 --> 00:41:34.500 Number four, 00:41:34.639 --> 00:41:36.960 trust him in your problems. 00:41:38.119 --> 00:41:40.480 Trust him in your problems. 00:41:40.599 --> 00:41:42.039 Because God is sovereign, 00:41:42.179 --> 00:41:42.360 church, 00:41:42.420 --> 00:41:44.800 we know that our trials are never wasted. 00:41:46.340 --> 00:41:49.400 If we mourn for three weeks in a row, 00:41:49.519 --> 00:41:51.960 we trust there is a sovereign God 00:41:51.960 --> 00:41:54.599 who rules and reigns over all things 00:41:54.599 --> 00:41:56.960 and who's working out even our darkest moments 00:41:57.679 --> 00:41:58.559 for our good, 00:41:58.900 --> 00:41:59.900 for his glory. 00:42:00.039 --> 00:42:01.199 Trust him in your problems. 00:42:01.199 --> 00:42:01.939 Number five, 00:42:02.379 --> 00:42:04.159 trust God's perspective 00:42:04.159 --> 00:42:06.119 over the world's perspective. 00:42:07.579 --> 00:42:09.539 We're back to seeing through the lens now, 00:42:09.619 --> 00:42:09.939 aren't we? 00:42:11.039 --> 00:42:11.480 You know, 00:42:11.519 --> 00:42:12.500 the news you watch, 00:42:12.739 --> 00:42:13.659 the articles you read, 00:42:13.739 --> 00:42:14.619 the people you talk to 00:42:14.619 --> 00:42:16.779 are seeing the world through a certain lens. 00:42:18.199 --> 00:42:19.859 We trust the word of God 00:42:19.859 --> 00:42:21.419 and what he has to say 00:42:21.419 --> 00:42:22.739 about the world we live in. 00:42:23.519 --> 00:42:25.460 Trust his perspective 00:42:25.460 --> 00:42:27.199 over the world's perspective. 00:42:27.939 --> 00:42:28.379 And lastly, 00:42:28.539 --> 00:42:30.500 we'll end where we started this morning. 00:42:30.500 --> 00:42:31.059 Church, 00:42:31.179 --> 00:42:31.920 trust him 00:42:31.920 --> 00:42:33.659 in your prayers. 00:42:35.119 --> 00:42:35.980 Trust him 00:42:35.980 --> 00:42:37.719 in your prayers. 00:42:37.880 --> 00:42:38.920 Those who see 00:42:38.920 --> 00:42:40.460 the spiritual battle 00:42:40.460 --> 00:42:41.599 that we're in, 00:42:42.420 --> 00:42:42.679 pray. 00:42:44.019 --> 00:42:45.139 Those who trust 00:42:45.139 --> 00:42:46.460 in a sovereign God, 00:42:47.420 --> 00:42:47.820 pray. 00:42:48.880 --> 00:42:49.880 Those who want to see 00:42:49.880 --> 00:42:50.739 the Lord move 00:42:50.739 --> 00:42:51.280 and work 00:42:51.280 --> 00:42:52.179 in their lives 00:42:52.179 --> 00:42:53.639 and the lives of their friends 00:42:53.639 --> 00:42:55.019 and the lives of this community 00:42:55.019 --> 00:42:56.500 and in their church. 00:42:57.539 --> 00:42:57.940 Pray. 00:42:59.619 --> 00:43:00.639 So we pray now. 00:43:00.780 --> 00:43:01.079 Father, 00:43:02.659 --> 00:43:04.739 we praise you, 00:43:05.320 --> 00:43:05.619 God, 00:43:05.699 --> 00:43:05.880 that 00:43:05.880 --> 00:43:07.599 while there's much 00:43:07.599 --> 00:43:09.219 that we don't understand, 00:43:10.179 --> 00:43:11.460 especially about this 00:43:11.460 --> 00:43:13.000 spiritual world 00:43:13.000 --> 00:43:13.940 all around us, 00:43:13.980 --> 00:43:14.179 God, 00:43:14.239 --> 00:43:15.500 we trust you. 00:43:16.679 --> 00:43:17.599 And we trust that 00:43:17.599 --> 00:43:19.380 you are working all things 00:43:19.380 --> 00:43:20.039 for our good 00:43:20.039 --> 00:43:20.960 and for your glory. 00:43:21.079 --> 00:43:21.460 While there's 00:43:21.460 --> 00:43:22.500 much chaos 00:43:22.500 --> 00:43:23.159 in the world 00:43:23.159 --> 00:43:23.840 around us, 00:43:23.920 --> 00:43:24.059 Lord, 00:43:24.099 --> 00:43:25.240 would you remind us 00:43:25.240 --> 00:43:25.940 and teach us 00:43:25.940 --> 00:43:27.119 to respond to these things 00:43:27.119 --> 00:43:27.760 as Christians 00:43:27.760 --> 00:43:29.500 who know that there is 00:43:29.500 --> 00:43:30.800 a good and sovereign God. 00:43:31.780 --> 00:43:32.059 And Father, 00:43:32.139 --> 00:43:32.619 we pray 00:43:32.619 --> 00:43:33.559 in all this 00:43:33.559 --> 00:43:34.019 that we would 00:43:34.019 --> 00:43:35.260 live and walk 00:43:35.260 --> 00:43:36.099 in the confidence 00:43:36.099 --> 00:43:36.780 of knowing 00:43:36.780 --> 00:43:37.920 that Christ Jesus 00:43:37.920 --> 00:43:39.699 has already triumphed 00:43:39.699 --> 00:43:40.320 over the powers 00:43:40.320 --> 00:43:41.099 of sin and darkness. 00:43:41.900 --> 00:43:42.500 We love you, 00:43:42.599 --> 00:43:42.740 Father. 00:43:42.840 --> 00:43:43.420 We pray this all 00:43:43.420 --> 00:43:43.960 in his name. 00:43:44.740 --> 00:43:45.019 Amen. 00:43:45.019 --> 00:43:45.159 Amen. 00:43:45.280 --> 00:43:45.639 Amen. 00:43:45.639 --> 00:43:46.280 Amen. 00:43:46.280 --> 00:43:46.639 Amen. 00:43:46.639 --> 00:43:47.079 Amen. 00:43:47.079 --> 00:43:47.220 Amen. 00:43:47.220 --> 00:43:47.280 Amen. 00:43:47.280 --> 00:43:47.340 Amen. 00:43:47.340 --> 00:43:47.720 Amen. 00:43:47.720 --> 00:43:47.860 Amen. 00:43:47.860 --> 00:43:48.220 Amen. 00:43:48.220 --> 00:43:49.260 Amen. 00:43:49.260 --> 00:43:49.280 Amen. 00:43:49.280 --> 00:43:49.300 Amen. 00:43:49.300 --> 00:43:49.800 Amen. 00:43:49.800 --> 00:43:50.300 Amen. 00:43:50.300 --> 00:43:51.440 Amen.