WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.540 Well friends, it's lovely to see you this morning. 00:00:02.839 --> 00:00:04.179 My name is Graham, if you've not met. 00:00:04.259 --> 00:00:05.799 I'm the pastor here of the church 00:00:05.799 --> 00:00:10.419 and it's a real joy to get back into Daniel chapter five today. 00:00:10.519 --> 00:00:13.900 So why don't we pray just as we get going this morning. 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:18.559 But this is the one to whom I will look. 00:00:19.300 --> 00:00:24.219 He who is humble and contrite in spirit 00:00:24.219 --> 00:00:27.960 and trembles at my word. 00:00:28.560 --> 00:00:31.440 And so Father, we pray for that spirit today 00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:36.060 in each of our hearts as we come to your inspired holy word. 00:00:36.660 --> 00:00:39.700 Father, that you would raise our eyes 00:00:39.700 --> 00:00:41.480 as we've been singing at the start 00:00:41.480 --> 00:00:44.659 and set our minds on the fact that you are the God 00:00:44.659 --> 00:00:47.760 who is so far above the things of this earth. 00:00:49.019 --> 00:00:50.500 And so Father, may we leave today 00:00:50.500 --> 00:00:53.219 with a bigger picture of who you are today 00:00:53.219 --> 00:00:55.859 because we have heard from you in your word. 00:00:55.859 --> 00:00:59.399 And we pray these things in Jesus's wonderful name. 00:00:59.799 --> 00:01:00.200 Amen. 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:05.400 So friends, as we get back into Daniel chapter five today, 00:01:05.500 --> 00:01:07.980 here's what I want you to do really simply for us to do 00:01:07.980 --> 00:01:09.780 is just take a couple of deep breaths. 00:01:12.180 --> 00:01:16.180 So apparently we take about 2,000 of those breaths a day. 00:01:16.260 --> 00:01:17.799 I don't know how people work that out, 00:01:17.799 --> 00:01:22.439 but apparently we take 2,000 breaths a day. 00:01:22.539 --> 00:01:25.319 Now, if the 2,000 times table is not your strong point, 00:01:26.159 --> 00:01:30.799 that works out at about 730,000 breaths 00:01:30.799 --> 00:01:32.299 that you and I take a year. 00:01:32.399 --> 00:01:34.579 Now, that's a lot of breaths. 00:01:35.659 --> 00:01:39.200 And it'll be no bad thing for us to be aware of our breathing 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:42.280 over the next 30 minutes or so, 00:01:42.280 --> 00:01:44.640 because this is what the Bible tells us. 00:01:45.500 --> 00:01:48.040 It tells us that the very first one, 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:50.420 the very last one, 00:01:50.840 --> 00:01:54.180 and every single breath that we take in between 00:01:54.180 --> 00:01:59.319 are given to us by the God who created us. 00:02:00.439 --> 00:02:02.980 Now, the book of Daniel has been so good for our souls 00:02:02.980 --> 00:02:05.599 because it's helped anchor our hearts 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:09.960 and our minds in the truth of God's sovereignty 00:02:09.960 --> 00:02:14.099 so that every single thing that happens in our world 00:02:14.099 --> 00:02:18.620 happens according to his plan and his purposes. 00:02:18.799 --> 00:02:20.680 So that sovereignty of God, 00:02:20.740 --> 00:02:24.759 it extends all the way up to the mega narrative of history, 00:02:25.299 --> 00:02:27.539 and it extends all the way down 00:02:27.539 --> 00:02:30.879 to the micro narrative of our existence. 00:02:31.479 --> 00:02:33.519 And this is the words of J.I. Packer, 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:37.000 who we started this series with. 00:02:38.880 --> 00:02:39.540 He said, 00:02:39.640 --> 00:02:41.719 to know that nothing happens in God's world 00:02:41.719 --> 00:02:45.379 apart from God's will may frighten the godless. 00:02:45.480 --> 00:02:46.540 And this is what we're going to see. 00:02:47.480 --> 00:02:49.460 But it stabilizes the saints. 00:02:50.920 --> 00:02:55.140 And so two things flow from that truth about breath. 00:02:55.420 --> 00:02:56.500 Two things flow from it. 00:02:56.620 --> 00:02:58.900 Number one is that breath is gift. 00:03:01.020 --> 00:03:03.460 This three-in-one God who we worship today, 00:03:04.100 --> 00:03:05.140 this holy God, 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:06.620 Father, Son, and Spirit, 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:07.659 out of his fullness, 00:03:08.480 --> 00:03:11.219 delighted to create life in all its beauty 00:03:11.219 --> 00:03:12.640 and in all its diversity. 00:03:13.020 --> 00:03:15.420 And that means that we are dependent on our creator 00:03:15.420 --> 00:03:17.800 for absolutely everything. 00:03:18.219 --> 00:03:21.040 We breathe today not because we decided to get up. 00:03:21.379 --> 00:03:23.879 We breathe today because this God is gracious 00:03:23.879 --> 00:03:24.980 and he is good. 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:26.939 Breath is gift. 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:30.840 And also breath is accountability. 00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:34.460 So one day we're going to have to stand before our maker 00:03:34.460 --> 00:03:38.480 and we're going to have to give an account to him 00:03:38.480 --> 00:03:42.280 of what we did with those breaths that he gave us. 00:03:42.280 --> 00:03:44.520 Now we all like to know, 00:03:44.599 --> 00:03:45.439 if you're a student here today, 00:03:45.479 --> 00:03:47.120 I've had many conversations with you guys 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:47.939 over the last couple of weeks, 00:03:48.140 --> 00:03:51.840 we love to know the exam questions before they come up. 00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:52.259 Yeah? 00:03:52.340 --> 00:03:53.840 Maybe you were that annoying kid at school. 00:03:53.900 --> 00:03:55.039 Is this going to be in the test? 00:03:56.340 --> 00:03:58.180 Well, here's the exam question right at the end. 00:03:58.180 --> 00:04:01.080 God gives us it before the end of time. 00:04:01.219 --> 00:04:03.939 He says, and you'll see this in the passage, 00:04:04.280 --> 00:04:05.980 Daniel says it to Belshazzar, 00:04:06.740 --> 00:04:08.020 really simply, 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:11.939 did you honour me with the breath that I gave you? 00:04:13.460 --> 00:04:16.100 And this is a passage that is going to throw us upon 00:04:16.100 --> 00:04:17.480 a bigger view of God 00:04:17.480 --> 00:04:20.780 than I think we often have. 00:04:20.779 --> 00:04:24.879 Do we understand that every breath that we have, 00:04:25.059 --> 00:04:26.199 everything that we have 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:30.279 is from his wonderful, gracious and good hands? 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:32.859 That's precisely the message that we see 00:04:32.859 --> 00:04:35.979 a nobly need 80-year-old exile 00:04:35.979 --> 00:04:37.939 from Jerusalem called Daniel 00:04:37.939 --> 00:04:41.439 delivered to a young, hot-headed gun king 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:43.859 who thinks that he owns the world. 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:47.079 This passage asks us to consider the question, 00:04:47.259 --> 00:04:48.000 who is the man? 00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:48.600 Right? 00:04:50.079 --> 00:04:54.540 As we see, these two men have a word off. 00:04:55.860 --> 00:04:58.060 Who is the man in this passage? 00:04:58.439 --> 00:04:59.720 Now, here's the context 00:04:59.720 --> 00:05:02.519 that gets us to the beating heart of this chapter. 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:04.720 You won't necessarily get it 00:05:04.720 --> 00:05:06.220 from a plain reading of the text. 00:05:06.360 --> 00:05:07.579 Here's the context. 00:05:07.980 --> 00:05:11.439 20 years have passed in the narrative 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:13.240 since the end of chapter 4, 00:05:14.139 --> 00:05:15.579 which you could argue 00:05:15.579 --> 00:05:18.879 was a huge high point of the book 00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:20.159 because you had, 00:05:20.199 --> 00:05:21.579 if you remember this from a few weeks ago, 00:05:21.659 --> 00:05:22.139 you had, 00:05:22.459 --> 00:05:23.699 this was the news at 10. 00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:25.560 This was the news that was doing the rounds 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:26.740 in Babylon. 00:05:27.139 --> 00:05:28.599 From the highest point, 00:05:29.539 --> 00:05:30.759 from the highest person, 00:05:30.860 --> 00:05:31.659 he was declaring, 00:05:32.439 --> 00:05:33.279 King Nebuchadnezzar, 00:05:33.360 --> 00:05:34.799 the guy at the top of the food chain, 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:35.779 the top of the world, 00:05:36.039 --> 00:05:37.519 he was declaring at verse 3 00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:38.779 that God's kingdom 00:05:38.779 --> 00:05:40.120 is an everlasting kingdom. 00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:41.840 God's kingdom, 00:05:41.959 --> 00:05:42.500 not mine, 00:05:43.399 --> 00:05:43.780 his. 00:05:44.680 --> 00:05:46.720 And that is an astonishing admission 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:47.720 in the book of Daniel. 00:05:49.620 --> 00:05:50.699 And you can understand 00:05:50.699 --> 00:05:51.959 that the first readers of this book, 00:05:52.040 --> 00:05:53.120 when they come up with, 00:05:53.579 --> 00:05:54.939 come up against chapter 4, 00:05:55.019 --> 00:05:56.199 they're thinking to themselves, 00:05:56.639 --> 00:05:57.780 is now the time? 00:05:58.459 --> 00:05:59.519 Is now the time 00:05:59.519 --> 00:06:00.560 that God is going to show 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:01.579 his glory to the world? 00:06:01.840 --> 00:06:02.840 Is now the time 00:06:02.840 --> 00:06:04.079 that revival in Babylon 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:05.199 is going to kick off? 00:06:05.199 --> 00:06:07.879 But that is not how 00:06:07.879 --> 00:06:09.979 the next 20 years go. 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:10.599 You ready for a wee 00:06:10.599 --> 00:06:11.899 potted history lesson here? 00:06:12.979 --> 00:06:13.779 You seem really keen. 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:15.759 Let's dig in and dive. 00:06:15.899 --> 00:06:16.019 Okay. 00:06:16.620 --> 00:06:17.079 Nebuchadnezzar, 00:06:17.159 --> 00:06:17.659 this king, 00:06:18.519 --> 00:06:20.899 he dies in the year 526. 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:23.240 He's had a really long reign, 00:06:23.439 --> 00:06:25.180 43 years by that time. 00:06:25.959 --> 00:06:28.060 He is succeeded by his son. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:30.060 And the story goes 00:06:30.060 --> 00:06:31.019 that his son 00:06:31.019 --> 00:06:32.300 is assassinated 00:06:32.300 --> 00:06:33.500 by his brother-in-law. 00:06:33.599 --> 00:06:34.159 You keeping up? 00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:37.800 Before that brother-in-law's son 00:06:37.800 --> 00:06:39.839 takes over after his death. 00:06:40.019 --> 00:06:41.199 And then that son-in-law 00:06:41.199 --> 00:06:42.240 is taken out. 00:06:42.439 --> 00:06:44.019 And this man called Nabonides 00:06:44.019 --> 00:06:45.860 is placed on the throne. 00:06:46.379 --> 00:06:47.779 And at some point, 00:06:48.019 --> 00:06:50.339 he goes away on royal business. 00:06:50.699 --> 00:06:51.599 Now whether he's pushed, 00:06:52.419 --> 00:06:53.259 whether he jumped, 00:06:53.579 --> 00:06:54.240 we're not sure, 00:06:54.319 --> 00:06:55.060 but he goes away 00:06:55.060 --> 00:06:55.959 in royal business. 00:06:56.139 --> 00:06:57.219 And his son, 00:06:57.959 --> 00:06:59.039 Belshazzar, 00:06:59.560 --> 00:07:00.719 takes his place 00:07:00.719 --> 00:07:02.459 as the de facto king. 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:03.939 And that's the guy 00:07:03.939 --> 00:07:04.459 that you meet 00:07:04.459 --> 00:07:05.839 in verse 1 of chapter 5 00:07:05.839 --> 00:07:06.620 if you're wondering 00:07:06.620 --> 00:07:07.680 who he is. 00:07:07.939 --> 00:07:09.180 So a lot has happened 00:07:09.180 --> 00:07:10.000 in 20 years 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:11.019 in terms of the throne. 00:07:12.779 --> 00:07:14.060 And that explains, 00:07:14.219 --> 00:07:15.000 if you notice 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:15.899 that little detail 00:07:15.899 --> 00:07:16.799 in the text, 00:07:17.379 --> 00:07:18.060 why Belshazzar, 00:07:19.060 --> 00:07:20.399 he can only offer 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:21.259 to whoever 00:07:21.259 --> 00:07:22.759 interprets this dream 00:07:22.759 --> 00:07:23.779 the title of being, 00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:24.699 did you notice it? 00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:26.620 Third in the kingdom. 00:07:27.459 --> 00:07:29.639 Because he is second 00:07:29.639 --> 00:07:31.740 and his dad is first. 00:07:32.459 --> 00:07:32.939 So again, 00:07:32.979 --> 00:07:33.800 this is just history, 00:07:33.899 --> 00:07:34.860 why this stands up 00:07:34.860 --> 00:07:35.419 to history. 00:07:36.060 --> 00:07:37.180 This is why he can say 00:07:37.180 --> 00:07:37.839 and only offer 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:39.379 the third in the kingdom. 00:07:39.459 --> 00:07:40.219 But here's the point 00:07:40.219 --> 00:07:41.180 of that history lesson. 00:07:41.259 --> 00:07:41.759 It's more than just 00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:42.779 that thought. 00:07:43.800 --> 00:07:45.379 This passing of time, 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:46.800 this cloak and dagger thing 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:47.419 that's going on 00:07:47.419 --> 00:07:48.639 at the top of the food chain 00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:49.939 for power in Babylon, 00:07:50.680 --> 00:07:51.740 what that means 00:07:51.740 --> 00:07:52.459 is that 00:07:52.459 --> 00:07:54.399 Nebuchadnezzar's confession 00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:55.740 in chapter 4, 00:07:55.740 --> 00:07:57.699 not only has it been 00:07:57.699 --> 00:07:59.199 massively diluted 00:07:59.199 --> 00:08:01.500 with the passing of time, 00:08:01.900 --> 00:08:02.740 but I imagine 00:08:02.740 --> 00:08:03.280 by the time 00:08:03.280 --> 00:08:04.579 that you hit chapter 5, 00:08:05.660 --> 00:08:07.019 it's been all but forgotten. 00:08:07.879 --> 00:08:08.660 Who is the Lord? 00:08:10.900 --> 00:08:12.340 And Daniel is no longer 00:08:12.340 --> 00:08:13.220 a mover and shaker 00:08:13.220 --> 00:08:13.780 in Babylon. 00:08:14.019 --> 00:08:15.040 He is just consigned 00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:15.900 to the sides. 00:08:17.100 --> 00:08:18.019 And Belshazzar 00:08:18.019 --> 00:08:19.439 is intent on mocking 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:20.519 any God 00:08:20.519 --> 00:08:21.519 who is not his. 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:22.360 Now those three things 00:08:22.360 --> 00:08:22.920 come together 00:08:22.920 --> 00:08:25.060 to make a royal triage 00:08:25.060 --> 00:08:26.199 of discouragement 00:08:26.199 --> 00:08:27.040 for God's people. 00:08:29.280 --> 00:08:30.280 So here's the question. 00:08:30.379 --> 00:08:31.240 Is all that stuff 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:31.740 we thought about 00:08:31.740 --> 00:08:32.899 about breath up top, 00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:35.639 is it still true 00:08:35.639 --> 00:08:36.860 even when I can't see it? 00:08:39.159 --> 00:08:40.139 Is it still true 00:08:40.139 --> 00:08:41.100 when I go to the office 00:08:41.100 --> 00:08:41.620 tomorrow 00:08:41.620 --> 00:08:43.639 and I go to that 00:08:43.639 --> 00:08:44.960 end of year's drinks party 00:08:44.960 --> 00:08:46.159 and it gets way out of hand 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:48.320 and as I hear, 00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:49.059 and this is what's been 00:08:49.059 --> 00:08:49.980 so great about that 00:08:49.980 --> 00:08:51.120 sermon survey 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:51.580 that we've run 00:08:51.580 --> 00:08:52.539 over the past number of weeks, 00:08:52.600 --> 00:08:53.059 we'll do it again 00:08:53.059 --> 00:08:53.500 at the end 00:08:53.500 --> 00:08:54.419 to hear about 00:08:54.419 --> 00:08:55.200 what some of us 00:08:55.200 --> 00:08:55.720 are facing, 00:08:56.240 --> 00:08:57.179 the work cultures 00:08:57.179 --> 00:08:57.779 that we're in. 00:08:59.159 --> 00:09:00.299 Is God still giving 00:09:00.299 --> 00:09:01.220 this breath thing 00:09:01.220 --> 00:09:03.080 when I hear people 00:09:03.080 --> 00:09:04.159 mocking his name, 00:09:04.559 --> 00:09:05.320 when I'm surrounded 00:09:05.320 --> 00:09:06.820 by gossip and slander, 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:07.940 when people don't seem 00:09:07.940 --> 00:09:09.019 to care to hoots 00:09:09.019 --> 00:09:10.000 about the Lord? 00:09:10.779 --> 00:09:11.500 When you have 00:09:11.500 --> 00:09:12.500 that family gathering, 00:09:12.600 --> 00:09:13.019 when people are 00:09:13.019 --> 00:09:14.059 just not interested 00:09:14.059 --> 00:09:14.980 in the slightest 00:09:14.980 --> 00:09:16.580 about your faith? 00:09:17.240 --> 00:09:18.500 When the 4th of July 00:09:18.500 --> 00:09:19.299 rolls around, 00:09:19.399 --> 00:09:19.799 our one, 00:09:19.860 --> 00:09:20.779 not the American one, 00:09:20.779 --> 00:09:22.159 and new people 00:09:22.159 --> 00:09:22.939 with new agendas 00:09:22.939 --> 00:09:23.419 are going to be 00:09:23.419 --> 00:09:24.419 elected to power? 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:25.600 Is it still true? 00:09:27.740 --> 00:09:28.339 I don't know 00:09:28.339 --> 00:09:28.720 if you saw 00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:30.259 the Scottish census results 00:09:30.259 --> 00:09:30.779 that were released 00:09:30.779 --> 00:09:31.339 this week, 00:09:31.439 --> 00:09:32.039 the one where 00:09:32.039 --> 00:09:33.600 apparently now 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:35.559 51.1% of people 00:09:35.559 --> 00:09:36.120 in our country 00:09:36.120 --> 00:09:37.600 tick the no religion box. 00:09:37.720 --> 00:09:38.240 That is up 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:40.100 from 36.7% 00:09:40.100 --> 00:09:41.439 in 2001. 00:09:42.439 --> 00:09:44.000 Is God still sovereign 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:44.879 when all I see 00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:45.459 around me 00:09:45.459 --> 00:09:47.039 is this Belshazzar spirit 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:47.539 that just wants 00:09:47.539 --> 00:09:48.759 to defy and mock God? 00:09:48.899 --> 00:09:49.740 Is it still true? 00:09:50.779 --> 00:09:52.779 Friends, 00:09:52.819 --> 00:09:53.319 here's two things 00:09:53.319 --> 00:09:55.939 that Daniel chapter 5 00:09:55.939 --> 00:09:57.279 teaches us. 00:09:57.539 --> 00:09:58.379 And if you're taking notes, 00:09:58.439 --> 00:09:59.339 these are our two points 00:09:59.339 --> 00:09:59.939 that we want to get 00:09:59.939 --> 00:10:00.620 across today. 00:10:00.860 --> 00:10:01.740 Here's the first one, 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:02.339 and it's a warning 00:10:02.339 --> 00:10:03.620 from God to the world. 00:10:06.419 --> 00:10:07.500 It's that you're playing 00:10:07.500 --> 00:10:08.360 a dangerous game 00:10:08.360 --> 00:10:08.899 if you're mocking 00:10:08.899 --> 00:10:09.559 his purposes. 00:10:11.459 --> 00:10:11.980 You're playing 00:10:11.980 --> 00:10:13.100 a really dangerous game 00:10:13.100 --> 00:10:14.620 because at verse 1, 00:10:14.679 --> 00:10:15.139 do you see how 00:10:15.139 --> 00:10:16.299 Belshazzar effectively, 00:10:16.399 --> 00:10:17.259 he throws a massive 00:10:17.259 --> 00:10:18.019 drinking party, 00:10:18.299 --> 00:10:18.699 doesn't he? 00:10:18.700 --> 00:10:20.300 There's been enough 00:10:20.300 --> 00:10:21.580 corporate nights out, 00:10:21.700 --> 00:10:22.740 uni football nights out 00:10:22.740 --> 00:10:23.379 to know what these 00:10:23.379 --> 00:10:24.300 things are like. 00:10:24.860 --> 00:10:25.580 Just notice 00:10:25.580 --> 00:10:26.340 who is there 00:10:26.340 --> 00:10:27.040 in the text. 00:10:27.580 --> 00:10:28.080 Again, notice 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:28.860 who's there in the text. 00:10:28.940 --> 00:10:30.020 A thousand of his lords, 00:10:30.420 --> 00:10:31.080 his wife, 00:10:31.520 --> 00:10:32.360 plural, 00:10:33.160 --> 00:10:34.120 his concubine, 00:10:34.120 --> 00:10:35.100 plural. 00:10:36.340 --> 00:10:37.340 And it's repeated twice 00:10:37.340 --> 00:10:38.080 there in the text, 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:38.899 and so it's a great 00:10:38.899 --> 00:10:40.379 thing to notice 00:10:40.379 --> 00:10:40.899 when you're reading 00:10:40.899 --> 00:10:41.360 our Bibles 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:42.320 when things are repeated. 00:10:42.460 --> 00:10:42.919 It's not because 00:10:42.919 --> 00:10:43.860 the authors just ran 00:10:43.860 --> 00:10:44.759 out of things to say 00:10:44.759 --> 00:10:46.360 trying to fill words. 00:10:47.159 --> 00:10:48.639 It's repeated for emphasis. 00:10:49.100 --> 00:10:49.560 So do you see how 00:10:49.560 --> 00:10:50.759 it's repeated there twice? 00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:52.080 It's not just a lot 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:52.620 of people, 00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:54.139 it's people who he 00:10:54.139 --> 00:10:55.480 has put around his life 00:10:55.480 --> 00:10:56.279 who are there 00:10:56.279 --> 00:10:57.600 to serve his pleasures 00:10:57.600 --> 00:10:58.720 and to satisfy 00:10:58.720 --> 00:10:59.940 his appetites. 00:10:59.940 --> 00:11:02.840 He surrounded himself 00:11:02.840 --> 00:11:03.720 with yes people. 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:04.780 He surrounded himself 00:11:04.780 --> 00:11:05.620 with people who are there 00:11:05.620 --> 00:11:07.520 to satisfy him, 00:11:07.620 --> 00:11:09.020 to sing about his glory. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:10.440 Notice what is there 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:11.340 because at some point 00:11:11.340 --> 00:11:12.140 during this feast, 00:11:12.340 --> 00:11:14.640 he calls for the vessels 00:11:14.640 --> 00:11:16.120 of gold to be brought out. 00:11:16.180 --> 00:11:17.120 Now this is interesting 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:18.940 because these are 00:11:18.940 --> 00:11:19.580 the instruments 00:11:19.580 --> 00:11:20.520 that were devoted 00:11:20.520 --> 00:11:22.160 to the worship of Yahweh 00:11:22.160 --> 00:11:23.540 that were taken 00:11:23.540 --> 00:11:24.440 from the temple 00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:25.240 in Jerusalem. 00:11:25.620 --> 00:11:26.560 And make no mistake, 00:11:26.660 --> 00:11:27.900 if you look at verse 22 00:11:27.900 --> 00:11:28.760 in the text, 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:30.860 and this backs it up, 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:33.039 that Belshazzar 00:11:33.039 --> 00:11:33.819 knows exactly 00:11:33.819 --> 00:11:34.559 what he's doing 00:11:34.559 --> 00:11:35.379 when he calls on 00:11:35.379 --> 00:11:36.939 those vessels 00:11:36.939 --> 00:11:38.379 to be brought in 00:11:38.379 --> 00:11:39.720 so that they could be used 00:11:39.720 --> 00:11:40.639 for this drinking game. 00:11:42.539 --> 00:11:43.460 He knows exactly 00:11:43.460 --> 00:11:44.059 what he's doing. 00:11:44.340 --> 00:11:45.259 He knows what the history books 00:11:45.259 --> 00:11:47.120 say about what happened 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:47.679 to his, 00:11:48.399 --> 00:11:49.639 I guess his father-in-law 00:11:49.639 --> 00:11:50.159 down the line, 00:11:50.259 --> 00:11:50.879 Nebuchadnezzar, 00:11:50.980 --> 00:11:51.700 and yet he's thinking 00:11:51.700 --> 00:11:52.460 to himself, 00:11:52.799 --> 00:11:54.519 that could never happen 00:11:54.519 --> 00:11:55.740 to me. 00:11:55.740 --> 00:11:59.259 Now one of the algorithms 00:11:59.259 --> 00:11:59.879 on my phone, 00:11:59.980 --> 00:12:00.600 do you not love 00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:01.480 those things? 00:12:02.480 --> 00:12:03.180 Because I watched 00:12:03.180 --> 00:12:03.840 a lot of footage 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:04.539 of that sub 00:12:04.539 --> 00:12:05.259 that went down 00:12:05.259 --> 00:12:06.659 when they were going 00:12:06.659 --> 00:12:07.320 to visit the wreck 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:08.060 of the Titanic. 00:12:08.419 --> 00:12:09.620 Now my Facebook feed 00:12:09.620 --> 00:12:11.360 is just all Titanic stats. 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:13.580 Here's one 00:12:13.580 --> 00:12:14.360 that I learned recently. 00:12:14.519 --> 00:12:14.980 Do you want one? 00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:16.700 That apparently 00:12:16.700 --> 00:12:17.620 on the Titanic 00:12:17.620 --> 00:12:18.259 there were only 00:12:18.259 --> 00:12:19.919 14 proper lifeboats 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:20.659 on that ship. 00:12:22.139 --> 00:12:23.019 Coupled with a few 00:12:23.019 --> 00:12:23.919 emergency ones, 00:12:24.019 --> 00:12:25.340 a few collapsible ones, 00:12:25.340 --> 00:12:26.379 but that number 00:12:26.379 --> 00:12:27.019 is significant 00:12:27.019 --> 00:12:28.780 because it accounted 00:12:28.780 --> 00:12:30.440 for half of the people 00:12:30.440 --> 00:12:31.160 that were on board 00:12:31.160 --> 00:12:32.019 that ship. 00:12:32.340 --> 00:12:33.620 If you've seen that film 00:12:33.620 --> 00:12:34.019 and that was 00:12:34.019 --> 00:12:35.019 peak 90s, 00:12:35.080 --> 00:12:35.379 wasn't it? 00:12:35.800 --> 00:12:37.300 Rose mentions that fact. 00:12:38.259 --> 00:12:39.160 Only half of the people 00:12:39.160 --> 00:12:39.660 on this ship 00:12:39.660 --> 00:12:40.340 are going to survive 00:12:40.340 --> 00:12:41.040 because we've only got 00:12:41.040 --> 00:12:42.440 half the number 00:12:42.440 --> 00:12:43.100 of lifeboats 00:12:43.100 --> 00:12:44.660 that we should have had. 00:12:44.920 --> 00:12:45.540 And the call 00:12:45.540 --> 00:12:46.060 that they make 00:12:46.060 --> 00:12:46.600 when they're making 00:12:46.600 --> 00:12:47.100 that ship 00:12:47.100 --> 00:12:48.040 is that we prefer 00:12:48.040 --> 00:12:49.600 more space on deck 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:50.660 than we would 00:12:50.660 --> 00:12:51.259 thinking about 00:12:51.259 --> 00:12:52.120 people's safety. 00:12:52.420 --> 00:12:53.280 Why do we do that? 00:12:53.379 --> 00:12:54.440 It all boiled down 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:55.180 to what they called 00:12:55.180 --> 00:12:55.800 that ship. 00:12:56.120 --> 00:12:56.980 What did they call it? 00:12:57.980 --> 00:12:59.480 The unsinkable ship. 00:13:00.780 --> 00:13:01.340 Nothing's going 00:13:01.340 --> 00:13:02.100 to take us out. 00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:03.520 We are sailing 00:13:03.520 --> 00:13:04.400 from what, Liverpool? 00:13:04.580 --> 00:13:05.080 We're going to live 00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:05.680 in New York 00:13:05.680 --> 00:13:06.100 and we're going 00:13:06.100 --> 00:13:07.360 to do it ahead of time. 00:13:09.480 --> 00:13:10.740 And that epitomizes 00:13:10.740 --> 00:13:12.420 the defiant human spirit 00:13:12.420 --> 00:13:13.280 that thinks 00:13:13.280 --> 00:13:14.220 tomorrow 00:13:14.220 --> 00:13:15.820 is guaranteed. 00:13:15.820 --> 00:13:17.420 Belshazzar drinks 00:13:17.420 --> 00:13:18.000 from these. 00:13:18.080 --> 00:13:18.640 Do you see how he 00:13:18.640 --> 00:13:19.780 toasts his gods 00:13:19.780 --> 00:13:21.379 of gold, iron, 00:13:21.860 --> 00:13:23.140 wood, and stone. 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:24.820 Make no mistake 00:13:24.820 --> 00:13:25.600 that he is using 00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:26.960 the vessels of God 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:28.500 to worship his God. 00:13:28.580 --> 00:13:29.300 He is mocking 00:13:29.300 --> 00:13:30.000 the holiness 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:31.920 of the living God. 00:13:32.180 --> 00:13:32.840 What he's doing 00:13:32.840 --> 00:13:33.900 is he toasts it. 00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:35.220 He toasts it. 00:13:35.280 --> 00:13:35.760 He is saying, 00:13:35.920 --> 00:13:36.600 I hold it. 00:13:36.680 --> 00:13:37.940 I own this God. 00:13:41.380 --> 00:13:42.400 And the God of the Bible 00:13:42.400 --> 00:13:43.160 will not be mocked, 00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:43.460 friends. 00:13:43.460 --> 00:13:49.680 And so if you're here today 00:13:49.680 --> 00:13:50.519 and that's your mindset, 00:13:52.040 --> 00:13:54.019 if you think 00:13:54.019 --> 00:13:54.700 you will get away 00:13:54.700 --> 00:13:55.040 with it 00:13:55.040 --> 00:13:56.019 because he can't see, 00:13:57.920 --> 00:13:58.720 know that he will 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:00.040 have the last say 00:14:00.040 --> 00:14:01.560 on your life. 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:03.740 Nothing escapes 00:14:03.740 --> 00:14:04.840 the gaze of this 00:14:04.840 --> 00:14:06.139 all-knowing, 00:14:06.220 --> 00:14:07.060 all-seeing God. 00:14:08.060 --> 00:14:09.480 And it is little wonder 00:14:09.480 --> 00:14:10.320 that verse 5 00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:11.560 roars in with that word 00:14:11.560 --> 00:14:12.240 you see it. 00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:14.240 immediately. 00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:17.120 Immediately. 00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:19.639 Belshazzar sees 00:14:19.639 --> 00:14:20.279 the writing 00:14:20.279 --> 00:14:21.419 on the wall. 00:14:21.620 --> 00:14:22.379 In case you're wondering 00:14:22.379 --> 00:14:23.500 where that phrase 00:14:23.500 --> 00:14:24.060 that we use 00:14:24.060 --> 00:14:24.779 all the time 00:14:24.779 --> 00:14:26.100 comes from. 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:29.060 And the sham 00:14:29.060 --> 00:14:29.779 and the folly 00:14:29.779 --> 00:14:30.940 of what's going on here 00:14:30.940 --> 00:14:31.899 is exposed. 00:14:32.360 --> 00:14:33.419 The writer wants us 00:14:33.419 --> 00:14:34.539 to see straight 00:14:34.539 --> 00:14:35.120 through it. 00:14:36.060 --> 00:14:37.159 And he wants us 00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:38.299 to see straight 00:14:38.299 --> 00:14:38.759 through it. 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:39.560 If you're struggling 00:14:39.560 --> 00:14:40.419 with this today, 00:14:40.419 --> 00:14:41.500 all the mockery 00:14:41.500 --> 00:14:42.479 that's going on, 00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:44.620 all the drinking games, 00:14:44.779 --> 00:14:45.579 all the success, 00:14:45.659 --> 00:14:46.299 all these things, 00:14:46.659 --> 00:14:47.679 the writer wants you 00:14:47.679 --> 00:14:48.360 to see straight 00:14:48.360 --> 00:14:49.439 through it as well. 00:14:50.120 --> 00:14:51.319 As this young buck 00:14:51.319 --> 00:14:51.899 who thinks he's 00:14:51.899 --> 00:14:52.860 on top of the world, 00:14:52.979 --> 00:14:53.919 who's taken on 00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:55.219 the king of the universe, 00:14:55.339 --> 00:14:56.759 he turns to jelly. 00:14:57.519 --> 00:14:58.199 And this is meant 00:14:58.199 --> 00:14:58.919 to make us laugh, 00:14:58.919 --> 00:14:59.299 I think, 00:14:59.339 --> 00:14:59.799 as the reader. 00:15:01.579 --> 00:15:01.819 You know, 00:15:01.839 --> 00:15:02.479 my friend Andy 00:15:02.479 --> 00:15:03.519 is the chaplain 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:04.019 of Hearts 00:15:04.019 --> 00:15:05.079 men's football team. 00:15:06.839 --> 00:15:07.539 I remember him 00:15:07.539 --> 00:15:08.179 telling me that 00:15:08.179 --> 00:15:09.659 when it comes 00:15:09.659 --> 00:15:10.339 to his work 00:15:10.339 --> 00:15:11.019 as he gets in 00:15:11.019 --> 00:15:11.939 amongst the guys, 00:15:12.959 --> 00:15:13.559 he tells me, 00:15:13.599 --> 00:15:14.120 see when the team 00:15:14.120 --> 00:15:14.699 is flying, 00:15:15.740 --> 00:15:16.199 see when they're 00:15:16.199 --> 00:15:17.240 banging in the goals, 00:15:17.899 --> 00:15:18.939 no one wants to talk 00:15:18.939 --> 00:15:19.779 about the big questions 00:15:19.779 --> 00:15:20.219 of life. 00:15:20.360 --> 00:15:21.219 No one wants to think 00:15:21.219 --> 00:15:21.819 that this career 00:15:21.819 --> 00:15:22.959 might end one day. 00:15:23.539 --> 00:15:24.539 But he tells me, 00:15:24.539 --> 00:15:27.959 as soon as the team's 00:15:27.959 --> 00:15:28.899 form dips, 00:15:29.079 --> 00:15:30.059 and especially 00:15:30.059 --> 00:15:30.899 when a player 00:15:30.899 --> 00:15:32.179 gets a life-threatening 00:15:32.179 --> 00:15:32.679 injury, 00:15:32.779 --> 00:15:33.299 all of a sudden 00:15:33.299 --> 00:15:33.980 this confidence 00:15:33.980 --> 00:15:35.779 of this 25-year-old guy 00:15:35.779 --> 00:15:36.980 who thinks he owns 00:15:36.980 --> 00:15:37.419 the joint, 00:15:37.740 --> 00:15:38.480 all of a sudden 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:39.199 he's scared 00:15:39.199 --> 00:15:40.179 that it's curtains 00:15:40.179 --> 00:15:41.000 for his career. 00:15:43.099 --> 00:15:43.819 And Jesus tells 00:15:43.819 --> 00:15:44.459 that parable, 00:15:44.559 --> 00:15:45.000 doesn't he? 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:46.579 Of the rich farmer 00:15:46.579 --> 00:15:47.339 who sets about 00:15:47.339 --> 00:15:48.740 building bigger barns 00:15:48.740 --> 00:15:49.639 so that he can have 00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:50.659 more stuff, 00:15:50.899 --> 00:15:51.839 so that his life 00:15:51.839 --> 00:15:53.399 could be at ease. 00:15:53.439 --> 00:15:54.219 And he sits back 00:15:54.220 --> 00:15:54.899 in the deck chair, 00:15:54.960 --> 00:15:55.420 I imagine, 00:15:55.500 --> 00:15:56.180 in that parable, 00:15:56.420 --> 00:15:57.340 and that very night 00:15:57.340 --> 00:15:57.860 God says, 00:15:57.960 --> 00:15:58.399 you fool, 00:16:00.560 --> 00:16:01.800 that very night 00:16:01.800 --> 00:16:02.560 your life 00:16:02.560 --> 00:16:03.360 will be taken 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:04.899 from you. 00:16:07.540 --> 00:16:08.320 And the joke 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:08.980 in this passage, 00:16:09.080 --> 00:16:09.540 I think, 00:16:10.540 --> 00:16:12.040 is that the only adult 00:16:12.040 --> 00:16:12.600 in the room 00:16:12.600 --> 00:16:13.200 is the queen. 00:16:13.620 --> 00:16:14.980 Now she's not his wife, 00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:16.160 the queen is the queen mother 00:16:16.160 --> 00:16:16.860 you can understand 00:16:16.860 --> 00:16:17.580 her to be. 00:16:18.100 --> 00:16:18.820 So the joke 00:16:18.820 --> 00:16:19.399 in the text 00:16:19.399 --> 00:16:19.980 is this guy 00:16:19.980 --> 00:16:20.940 who's flexing his muscles, 00:16:21.080 --> 00:16:21.519 this young guy 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:22.240 who thinks he owns 00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:22.720 the world, 00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:23.620 is granny 00:16:23.620 --> 00:16:24.379 who has to come 00:16:24.379 --> 00:16:25.000 to the rescue. 00:16:26.779 --> 00:16:26.899 Right? 00:16:27.019 --> 00:16:27.919 Granny has to come 00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:28.960 and she has to bring 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:30.279 some common sense 00:16:30.279 --> 00:16:30.679 in the room. 00:16:30.940 --> 00:16:31.860 She's the only adult 00:16:31.860 --> 00:16:32.500 in the room. 00:16:32.740 --> 00:16:33.539 And she remembers 00:16:33.539 --> 00:16:34.279 this man, 00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:36.279 verse 11. 00:16:36.560 --> 00:16:37.039 And I think 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:37.960 this is fascinating. 00:16:38.120 --> 00:16:39.200 Do you see in the text, 00:16:39.299 --> 00:16:40.019 I should have written it down, 00:16:40.120 --> 00:16:40.580 I ain't, 00:16:40.820 --> 00:16:41.700 verse 12. 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:45.919 She doesn't use 00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:47.799 his Babylonian name. 00:16:49.080 --> 00:16:49.840 Do you see in the text 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:51.399 she uses his Jewish name? 00:16:51.980 --> 00:16:52.840 There is this man 00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:53.980 called Daniel. 00:16:54.180 --> 00:16:55.200 That tells you tons, 00:16:55.300 --> 00:16:55.600 doesn't it? 00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:56.480 It tells you 00:16:56.480 --> 00:16:57.340 that Daniel 00:16:57.340 --> 00:16:58.560 has stuck rigidly 00:16:58.560 --> 00:17:00.440 to his God-given identity 00:17:00.440 --> 00:17:01.060 in Babylon. 00:17:01.399 --> 00:17:02.440 Even though tons 00:17:02.440 --> 00:17:03.420 of time has passed 00:17:03.420 --> 00:17:04.579 since that episode 00:17:04.579 --> 00:17:05.440 in chapter 4, 00:17:05.920 --> 00:17:06.880 Daniel is clinging 00:17:06.880 --> 00:17:07.920 to God's promises. 00:17:08.100 --> 00:17:09.240 This is who I am. 00:17:10.360 --> 00:17:11.160 Now let me ask you, 00:17:11.220 --> 00:17:12.539 in your circles, 00:17:13.180 --> 00:17:13.420 friends, 00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:14.420 all of our circles, 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:16.000 how are we known? 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:18.440 Not in terms of just 00:17:18.440 --> 00:17:19.180 what we do, 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:20.039 but how are we known 00:17:20.039 --> 00:17:21.480 in terms of who we are? 00:17:22.900 --> 00:17:23.099 You know, 00:17:23.140 --> 00:17:23.980 I've told this story before, 00:17:24.059 --> 00:17:24.519 but I love it 00:17:24.519 --> 00:17:25.680 because he popped up 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:26.440 on my Facebook feed 00:17:26.440 --> 00:17:26.799 this week, 00:17:26.859 --> 00:17:27.599 reminded me of him. 00:17:27.660 --> 00:17:27.779 See, 00:17:27.819 --> 00:17:28.559 when I was in halls 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:29.339 at university, 00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:30.500 there was four Daves 00:17:30.500 --> 00:17:31.119 in our year. 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:33.460 And what people did 00:17:33.460 --> 00:17:34.140 was just give people 00:17:34.140 --> 00:17:35.440 nicknames to differentiate 00:17:35.440 --> 00:17:36.160 them, right? 00:17:36.200 --> 00:17:37.359 So we had Disco Dave, 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:38.819 we had Scary Dave, 00:17:38.940 --> 00:17:40.019 we had Hairy Dave, 00:17:40.599 --> 00:17:41.799 and then we had 00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:42.619 my friend 00:17:42.619 --> 00:17:44.400 who people called 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:45.279 Christian Dave. 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:47.640 All sorts of other 00:17:47.640 --> 00:17:49.180 adjectives they could have 00:17:49.180 --> 00:17:50.200 picked to describe him, 00:17:50.599 --> 00:17:51.900 but they went for that one 00:17:51.900 --> 00:17:52.880 because they saw 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:54.240 what his life was all about. 00:17:56.980 --> 00:17:58.000 How are we known 00:17:58.000 --> 00:17:58.680 in our circles? 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:01.339 These, 00:18:01.740 --> 00:18:02.799 this Queen Mum rather, 00:18:02.900 --> 00:18:06.400 she calls for Daniel. 00:18:08.420 --> 00:18:09.700 And in comes this, 00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:11.259 what comic scene 00:18:11.259 --> 00:18:11.960 this must have been, 00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:14.960 this near 80-year-old man 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:17.319 man who's likely lost 00:18:17.319 --> 00:18:18.519 his physical edge, 00:18:18.620 --> 00:18:19.100 but boy, 00:18:19.180 --> 00:18:20.660 does he go toe-to-toe 00:18:20.660 --> 00:18:21.840 as he spars 00:18:21.840 --> 00:18:23.120 with this young man 00:18:23.120 --> 00:18:23.660 who thinks 00:18:23.660 --> 00:18:24.579 he owns 00:18:24.579 --> 00:18:25.640 the world. 00:18:25.980 --> 00:18:26.940 And Daniel goes 00:18:26.940 --> 00:18:28.079 to task 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:28.759 here. 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:30.960 And he exemplifies 00:18:31.640 --> 00:18:32.480 what God's people, 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:32.900 I think, 00:18:32.940 --> 00:18:33.740 are meant to take 00:18:33.740 --> 00:18:34.440 from this. 00:18:35.940 --> 00:18:36.860 And this is the second, 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:37.279 I think, 00:18:37.319 --> 00:18:37.880 an invitation 00:18:37.880 --> 00:18:38.620 that God 00:18:38.620 --> 00:18:40.400 makes to his people, 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:41.200 and it's this, 00:18:43.060 --> 00:18:43.880 that if you're trusting 00:18:43.880 --> 00:18:44.640 his promises, 00:18:44.860 --> 00:18:45.220 dear friends, 00:18:45.280 --> 00:18:45.700 we are playing 00:18:45.700 --> 00:18:46.460 the long game. 00:18:48.580 --> 00:18:49.680 Daniel exemplifies 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:50.200 for us 00:18:50.200 --> 00:18:50.940 what it means 00:18:50.940 --> 00:18:51.740 to trust 00:18:51.740 --> 00:18:53.340 God's sovereignty 00:18:53.340 --> 00:18:55.100 in the slow 00:18:55.100 --> 00:18:55.960 plod 00:18:55.960 --> 00:18:57.240 and often 00:18:57.240 --> 00:18:58.120 the mundane 00:18:58.120 --> 00:18:59.019 nature 00:18:59.019 --> 00:19:00.580 and the seeming 00:19:00.580 --> 00:19:01.740 silence 00:19:01.740 --> 00:19:02.960 of life. 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:06.000 if tomorrow 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:06.720 just feels 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:07.600 like another 00:19:07.600 --> 00:19:08.860 day, 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:10.920 and let me say 00:19:10.920 --> 00:19:11.319 with kids, 00:19:11.420 --> 00:19:12.019 it often 00:19:12.019 --> 00:19:12.940 does. 00:19:13.100 --> 00:19:13.579 You realise 00:19:13.579 --> 00:19:14.180 you're not that 00:19:14.180 --> 00:19:14.660 creative 00:19:14.660 --> 00:19:15.120 when you have 00:19:15.120 --> 00:19:15.480 to think 00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:16.160 of things 00:19:16.160 --> 00:19:17.340 to cook 00:19:17.340 --> 00:19:17.759 at night. 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:19.640 Each day 00:19:19.640 --> 00:19:20.740 feels the same 00:19:20.740 --> 00:19:21.400 often. 00:19:22.740 --> 00:19:23.019 And yet, 00:19:23.059 --> 00:19:23.539 Daniel's been 00:19:23.539 --> 00:19:24.059 teaching me 00:19:24.059 --> 00:19:24.500 this week 00:19:24.500 --> 00:19:25.220 that I want 00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:25.680 to take 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:27.240 every step 00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:28.039 of my life 00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:28.980 playing the long 00:19:28.980 --> 00:19:29.319 game 00:19:29.319 --> 00:19:30.400 with God's 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:30.819 promises, 00:19:30.819 --> 00:19:30.960 promises, 00:19:31.720 --> 00:19:32.059 that I can 00:19:32.059 --> 00:19:33.039 glorify him 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:34.679 as I change 00:19:34.679 --> 00:19:35.119 nappies, 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:35.759 as we do 00:19:35.759 --> 00:19:36.319 all of that 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:36.599 gig. 00:19:37.099 --> 00:19:38.279 I can glorify 00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:39.399 him. 00:19:39.579 --> 00:19:40.099 Because here's 00:19:40.099 --> 00:19:40.619 the question, 00:19:40.759 --> 00:19:40.879 right? 00:19:40.939 --> 00:19:41.759 What has Daniel 00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:42.339 been doing 00:19:42.339 --> 00:19:42.919 for the last 00:19:42.919 --> 00:19:43.839 20 years? 00:19:46.179 --> 00:19:47.119 Chapter 6, 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:47.919 if I can verse 00:19:47.919 --> 00:19:49.220 creep onto Archie's 00:19:49.220 --> 00:19:50.200 next week's 00:19:50.200 --> 00:19:50.939 chapter, 00:19:51.059 --> 00:19:51.579 he's not here 00:19:51.579 --> 00:19:51.879 so I'm going 00:19:51.879 --> 00:19:52.359 to do it, 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:54.779 it gives us 00:19:54.779 --> 00:19:55.460 the answer. 00:19:56.779 --> 00:19:57.139 Daniel, 00:19:57.339 --> 00:19:58.359 as his influence 00:19:58.359 --> 00:19:59.079 in Babylon, 00:19:59.720 --> 00:20:00.039 wanes. 00:20:00.039 --> 00:20:00.799 Daniel, 00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:01.899 as his physical 00:20:01.899 --> 00:20:03.220 body in Babylon 00:20:03.220 --> 00:20:04.059 withers. 00:20:04.319 --> 00:20:04.980 He's not been 00:20:04.980 --> 00:20:05.579 topping up 00:20:05.579 --> 00:20:06.319 his tan, 00:20:06.639 --> 00:20:07.339 he's not been 00:20:07.339 --> 00:20:08.019 saving on the 00:20:08.019 --> 00:20:08.500 side for 00:20:08.500 --> 00:20:09.159 retirement, 00:20:09.299 --> 00:20:09.980 that sweet, 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:11.139 sweet thought. 00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:12.480 This man has 00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:12.899 been getting 00:20:12.899 --> 00:20:13.759 down on his 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:14.680 rickety knees 00:20:14.680 --> 00:20:15.579 and he's been 00:20:15.579 --> 00:20:16.920 praying three 00:20:16.920 --> 00:20:17.859 times a day, 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:19.579 day after day 00:20:19.579 --> 00:20:20.599 after day. 00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:22.220 Here is a man 00:20:22.220 --> 00:20:23.279 who has been 00:20:23.279 --> 00:20:24.879 investing himself 00:20:24.879 --> 00:20:26.539 in the promises 00:20:26.539 --> 00:20:27.200 of God, 00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:30.019 getting scripted, 00:20:30.039 --> 00:20:31.779 into his system 00:20:31.779 --> 00:20:33.099 in the everyday 00:20:33.099 --> 00:20:35.579 nature of life 00:20:35.579 --> 00:20:36.440 because this 00:20:36.440 --> 00:20:37.500 confidence that he 00:20:37.500 --> 00:20:38.460 oozes here has 00:20:38.460 --> 00:20:39.220 not come out of 00:20:39.220 --> 00:20:39.720 nowhere. 00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:41.299 He's not all of a 00:20:41.299 --> 00:20:42.180 sudden just got his 00:20:42.180 --> 00:20:43.599 confidence thing to 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:45.220 speak before the 00:20:45.220 --> 00:20:45.519 king. 00:20:45.799 --> 00:20:47.119 This is the result of 00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:48.579 a life of a man 00:20:48.579 --> 00:20:50.259 who has spent many, 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:51.139 many, 00:20:51.379 --> 00:20:52.960 many years walking 00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:53.779 with his God, 00:20:53.779 --> 00:20:57.440 investing himself in 00:20:57.440 --> 00:20:59.379 the ordinary means 00:20:59.379 --> 00:21:00.660 of grace, 00:21:01.460 --> 00:21:02.359 or what I like to 00:21:02.359 --> 00:21:04.019 call holy habits. 00:21:05.759 --> 00:21:06.660 Getting up each 00:21:06.660 --> 00:21:06.940 day, 00:21:07.160 --> 00:21:08.200 reading his Bible, 00:21:08.700 --> 00:21:09.119 praying, 00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:10.599 getting up the next 00:21:10.599 --> 00:21:10.819 day, 00:21:10.940 --> 00:21:11.839 reading his Bible 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:12.819 and praying. 00:21:13.819 --> 00:21:14.319 And we were 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:14.839 thinking as an 00:21:14.839 --> 00:21:15.879 elders team yesterday 00:21:15.879 --> 00:21:16.599 about how we can 00:21:16.599 --> 00:21:17.960 create that culture, 00:21:18.819 --> 00:21:19.899 continue to do it 00:21:19.899 --> 00:21:21.119 in this church here. 00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:22.159 Let me ask you, 00:21:22.239 --> 00:21:22.379 friends, 00:21:22.479 --> 00:21:22.939 all of us, 00:21:23.199 --> 00:21:23.919 what are we doing 00:21:23.919 --> 00:21:25.299 to create those 00:21:25.299 --> 00:21:26.199 holy habits? 00:21:26.939 --> 00:21:27.739 What is our 00:21:27.739 --> 00:21:29.500 exposure to God's 00:21:29.500 --> 00:21:30.539 words like? 00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:31.719 Maybe some of us 00:21:31.719 --> 00:21:32.579 off the back of 00:21:32.579 --> 00:21:32.979 today, 00:21:33.959 --> 00:21:34.979 just resolutely 00:21:34.979 --> 00:21:36.719 determined to just 00:21:36.719 --> 00:21:37.819 even spend five, 00:21:38.099 --> 00:21:38.379 ten, 00:21:38.599 --> 00:21:39.539 fifty minutes each 00:21:39.539 --> 00:21:40.339 day just reading 00:21:40.339 --> 00:21:41.000 God's word, 00:21:42.219 --> 00:21:43.159 getting his promises 00:21:43.159 --> 00:21:44.099 for the long game 00:21:44.099 --> 00:21:46.159 into our system. 00:21:46.539 --> 00:21:47.279 Daniel is a 00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:48.000 wonderful example 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:48.839 here of what Paul 00:21:48.839 --> 00:21:50.159 in 2 Corinthians 4 00:21:50.159 --> 00:21:50.959 talks about, 00:21:51.299 --> 00:21:51.879 about how the 00:21:51.879 --> 00:21:52.779 outer man is 00:21:52.779 --> 00:21:53.599 fading away but 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:54.480 the inner man is 00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:55.839 being renewed day 00:21:55.839 --> 00:21:57.359 after day after day 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:58.419 as he looks not to 00:21:58.419 --> 00:21:59.740 that which is seen 00:21:59.740 --> 00:22:01.980 but as he looks to 00:22:01.980 --> 00:22:03.879 that which is unseen. 00:22:04.139 --> 00:22:04.759 Can I maybe just 00:22:04.759 --> 00:22:05.220 make a really 00:22:05.220 --> 00:22:07.359 specific application 00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:08.959 to those of us 00:22:08.959 --> 00:22:09.599 in the room? 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:10.959 He's looking very 00:22:10.959 --> 00:22:11.819 much at his notes 00:22:11.819 --> 00:22:12.679 who are at the 00:22:12.679 --> 00:22:13.819 Daniel age and 00:22:13.819 --> 00:22:14.740 stage of life. 00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:16.819 You know, 00:22:16.839 --> 00:22:17.399 one of the comedy 00:22:17.399 --> 00:22:18.139 programs that was 00:22:18.140 --> 00:22:19.040 popular on British 00:22:19.040 --> 00:22:19.820 TV when I was 00:22:19.820 --> 00:22:20.440 growing up, 00:22:21.259 --> 00:22:22.560 I would ask for 00:22:22.560 --> 00:22:23.040 showing the hands 00:22:23.040 --> 00:22:23.420 in the air but 00:22:23.420 --> 00:22:24.060 let's not do that, 00:22:24.180 --> 00:22:24.300 okay, 00:22:24.340 --> 00:22:24.800 it was called 00:22:24.800 --> 00:22:25.580 One Foot in the 00:22:25.580 --> 00:22:25.920 Grave. 00:22:28.900 --> 00:22:29.620 The central 00:22:29.620 --> 00:22:30.420 character to One 00:22:30.420 --> 00:22:30.900 Foot in the Grave 00:22:30.900 --> 00:22:32.000 is this man 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:32.960 called Victor 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:33.620 Meldrew, 00:22:34.740 --> 00:22:34.920 right? 00:22:35.600 --> 00:22:36.120 YouTube's your 00:22:36.120 --> 00:22:36.680 friend if you 00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:37.060 don't know what 00:22:37.060 --> 00:22:38.900 this is and he 00:22:38.900 --> 00:22:40.060 had this line all 00:22:40.060 --> 00:22:40.480 the time, 00:22:40.660 --> 00:22:42.200 I don't believe 00:22:42.200 --> 00:22:43.640 it and he's just 00:22:43.640 --> 00:22:44.460 moaning and he's 00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:45.420 grumping about the 00:22:45.420 --> 00:22:47.180 things of life and 00:22:47.180 --> 00:22:47.720 the reason that 00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:48.500 these shows connect 00:22:48.500 --> 00:22:48.860 with us, 00:22:48.940 --> 00:22:49.620 is it not true 00:22:49.620 --> 00:22:50.980 that we see 00:22:50.980 --> 00:22:51.860 ourselves in these 00:22:51.860 --> 00:22:52.220 shows? 00:22:53.019 --> 00:22:53.819 I take it that's 00:22:53.819 --> 00:22:54.759 why observational 00:22:54.759 --> 00:22:55.940 comedy is a massive 00:22:55.940 --> 00:22:56.500 thing in our 00:22:56.500 --> 00:22:57.100 culture because 00:22:57.100 --> 00:22:57.980 people just look, 00:22:58.400 --> 00:22:59.720 they perceive and 00:22:59.720 --> 00:23:00.799 they make fun. 00:23:02.460 --> 00:23:03.279 Is it not generally 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:04.079 speaking true, 00:23:04.200 --> 00:23:04.660 dear friends, 00:23:04.720 --> 00:23:05.500 that people in our 00:23:05.500 --> 00:23:06.200 culture getting 00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:08.680 older often makes 00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:09.600 them more cynical 00:23:09.600 --> 00:23:10.360 about life? 00:23:11.380 --> 00:23:12.480 We didn't do that 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:13.079 in my day. 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:14.799 Cannot believe what 00:23:14.799 --> 00:23:15.500 we're doing in this 00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:15.700 day. 00:23:15.700 --> 00:23:17.039 And so often it's 00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:17.799 tied up with the 00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:18.539 fact that people 00:23:18.539 --> 00:23:19.460 are struggling to 00:23:19.460 --> 00:23:21.019 come to terms with 00:23:21.019 --> 00:23:22.259 the fact that their 00:23:22.259 --> 00:23:24.039 best days are not in 00:23:24.039 --> 00:23:24.539 front of them. 00:23:25.240 --> 00:23:26.299 Their best days are 00:23:26.299 --> 00:23:26.900 behind them. 00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:29.980 If you are a seasoned 00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:31.019 saint here this 00:23:31.019 --> 00:23:32.640 morning, never lose 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:34.200 sight of the fact that 00:23:34.200 --> 00:23:35.700 the promises of God 00:23:35.700 --> 00:23:38.000 tell you that your 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:39.240 best days are ahead 00:23:39.240 --> 00:23:39.640 of you. 00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:41.799 They are ahead of you. 00:23:41.799 --> 00:23:43.700 show it to your 00:23:43.700 --> 00:23:44.460 neighbours and your 00:23:44.460 --> 00:23:44.879 family. 00:23:45.980 --> 00:23:46.980 Show it to those who 00:23:46.980 --> 00:23:48.119 live in your stairwell, 00:23:48.259 --> 00:23:49.259 who you live in your 00:23:49.259 --> 00:23:50.240 flat, in your home. 00:23:50.700 --> 00:23:51.559 Show it to us. 00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:54.079 I need you to help me 00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:55.579 remember that the 00:23:55.579 --> 00:23:56.639 greatest days of our 00:23:56.639 --> 00:23:58.099 lives are not mid-twenties. 00:23:59.639 --> 00:24:01.039 It's when we be with 00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:02.000 the living God. 00:24:02.700 --> 00:24:03.399 I love Daniel. 00:24:03.500 --> 00:24:04.259 I love him and this is 00:24:04.259 --> 00:24:04.940 why he's taught me so 00:24:04.940 --> 00:24:05.579 much this week. 00:24:06.079 --> 00:24:07.519 He is playing the long 00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:08.619 game with the promises 00:24:08.619 --> 00:24:09.159 of God. 00:24:09.160 --> 00:24:10.500 I think in our 00:24:10.500 --> 00:24:11.460 culture today, friends, 00:24:11.500 --> 00:24:12.420 we are conditioned to 00:24:12.420 --> 00:24:13.380 play the short game. 00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:15.880 Everything's instant. 00:24:16.759 --> 00:24:17.540 Everything's now. 00:24:17.740 --> 00:24:18.759 Trying to explain to my 00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:19.980 kids that Gladiators is 00:24:19.980 --> 00:24:20.600 live TV. 00:24:20.820 --> 00:24:21.720 You can't just watch the 00:24:21.720 --> 00:24:22.220 next one. 00:24:24.040 --> 00:24:24.740 Everything's now. 00:24:25.140 --> 00:24:26.040 Everything's instant. 00:24:26.040 --> 00:24:27.800 And how quickly we tap 00:24:27.800 --> 00:24:28.360 out. 00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:31.320 At the stage of life now 00:24:31.320 --> 00:24:33.759 where I love the verbs 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:35.000 to describe the Christian 00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:36.720 life, ones that speak to 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:37.920 me so much at this 00:24:37.920 --> 00:24:38.420 moment, 00:24:38.420 --> 00:24:41.300 patience and endurance 00:24:41.300 --> 00:24:43.000 and long-suffering. 00:24:43.580 --> 00:24:44.320 In other words, 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:46.300 play the long game. 00:24:48.539 --> 00:24:50.039 Daniel has found and is 00:24:50.039 --> 00:24:51.380 living for a far greater 00:24:51.380 --> 00:24:51.740 treasure. 00:24:51.860 --> 00:24:52.740 I take it that's why he 00:24:52.740 --> 00:24:53.700 says, Belshazzar, just 00:24:53.700 --> 00:24:54.440 keep your stuff. 00:24:56.720 --> 00:24:58.180 But before he interprets 00:24:58.180 --> 00:24:59.000 the dream, do you see 00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:00.039 how he explains the 00:25:00.039 --> 00:25:00.300 dream? 00:25:01.900 --> 00:25:03.120 You need to learn the 00:25:03.120 --> 00:25:04.480 lessons that Nebuchadnezzar, 00:25:04.539 --> 00:25:05.980 before you did Belshazzar, 00:25:06.060 --> 00:25:08.039 this God who gave him, 00:25:08.420 --> 00:25:10.060 and this God who took 00:25:10.060 --> 00:25:10.660 from him, 00:25:11.100 --> 00:25:13.259 is meant to help us 00:25:13.259 --> 00:25:14.720 realize, verse 21, 00:25:15.640 --> 00:25:17.400 that the Most High God 00:25:17.400 --> 00:25:18.019 rules. 00:25:18.800 --> 00:25:20.140 And you are making that 00:25:20.140 --> 00:25:23.000 exact same mistake. 00:25:23.539 --> 00:25:25.740 Many, many, numbered. 00:25:25.740 --> 00:25:28.200 Tekel, Wade, 00:25:28.740 --> 00:25:29.480 Parsin, 00:25:30.380 --> 00:25:30.900 divided. 00:25:32.900 --> 00:25:33.839 And it's interesting, 00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:34.299 isn't it, 00:25:34.359 --> 00:25:35.480 the reaction that he 00:25:35.480 --> 00:25:36.559 makes, Belshazzar, 00:25:36.640 --> 00:25:37.500 to this is really 00:25:37.500 --> 00:25:38.059 strange. 00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:40.039 It's not the one that we 00:25:40.039 --> 00:25:41.099 think he should make, 00:25:41.299 --> 00:25:42.059 maybe the one that we 00:25:42.059 --> 00:25:43.220 expect him to make, 00:25:43.380 --> 00:25:44.519 but it tells us all about 00:25:44.519 --> 00:25:45.359 this guy and how he 00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:45.779 thinks. 00:25:46.539 --> 00:25:47.779 Instead of repenting, 00:25:47.819 --> 00:25:48.720 what does he want to do? 00:25:49.859 --> 00:25:50.640 Like some kind of 00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:51.640 corporate away gig. 00:25:52.599 --> 00:25:53.599 He just wants to shower 00:25:53.599 --> 00:25:54.259 him and stuff. 00:25:54.259 --> 00:25:57.259 He thinks, 00:25:57.539 --> 00:25:58.480 I imagine still, 00:25:59.640 --> 00:26:00.819 this stuff is going to 00:26:00.819 --> 00:26:01.440 save him. 00:26:03.480 --> 00:26:04.240 And then have a look 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:05.140 at verse 30 as we 00:26:05.140 --> 00:26:06.940 begin to wind this up 00:26:06.940 --> 00:26:07.400 this morning. 00:26:07.700 --> 00:26:08.640 This is what history 00:26:08.640 --> 00:26:09.400 tells us. 00:26:09.879 --> 00:26:10.160 And again, 00:26:10.220 --> 00:26:10.519 remember, 00:26:10.640 --> 00:26:11.140 this is why we've 00:26:11.140 --> 00:26:12.700 always gone to the 00:26:12.700 --> 00:26:13.440 kind of historical 00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:14.599 accuracy of this book 00:26:14.599 --> 00:26:15.519 to help us understand. 00:26:16.059 --> 00:26:17.200 This is not a fairy tale. 00:26:17.319 --> 00:26:18.339 This actually happened. 00:26:18.859 --> 00:26:19.759 Look at verse 30. 00:26:19.819 --> 00:26:20.379 Here's what history 00:26:20.379 --> 00:26:21.200 tells us. 00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:23.759 It tells us that the 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:24.860 Medes and the Persians, 00:26:25.299 --> 00:26:26.880 and I love this. 00:26:26.940 --> 00:26:27.960 If you ever look to 00:26:27.960 --> 00:26:28.620 take a city, 00:26:28.779 --> 00:26:29.360 go with this. 00:26:30.420 --> 00:26:31.700 The Medes and the Persians 00:26:31.700 --> 00:26:32.440 in history, 00:26:32.580 --> 00:26:33.680 they divert the 00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:34.840 Euphrates River. 00:26:35.940 --> 00:26:36.340 And why, 00:26:36.480 --> 00:26:37.220 if they divert it, 00:26:37.240 --> 00:26:37.860 what they do is they 00:26:37.860 --> 00:26:39.160 cause the water level 00:26:39.160 --> 00:26:39.880 to drop. 00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:42.160 And they sneak in 00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:43.100 through the sewers 00:26:43.100 --> 00:26:44.039 of the city. 00:26:44.039 --> 00:26:46.039 And that's how 00:26:46.039 --> 00:26:46.899 they capture Babylon. 00:26:47.799 --> 00:26:48.940 Which means at this 00:26:48.940 --> 00:26:49.299 point, 00:26:49.379 --> 00:26:50.559 when he is toasting 00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:51.339 his success 00:26:51.339 --> 00:26:52.039 and his glory, 00:26:52.299 --> 00:26:53.460 it may well be the 00:26:53.460 --> 00:26:54.259 case that the Medes 00:26:54.259 --> 00:26:54.819 and the Persians 00:26:54.819 --> 00:26:55.659 are ready to pounce. 00:26:55.740 --> 00:26:56.039 They're right 00:26:56.039 --> 00:26:56.879 underneath the city. 00:26:58.779 --> 00:26:59.879 Belshazzar is killed 00:26:59.879 --> 00:27:01.240 as they rout the place. 00:27:02.680 --> 00:27:04.240 And Darius the Medes, 00:27:04.639 --> 00:27:06.279 and notice the key words, 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:07.659 the ESV I think 00:27:07.659 --> 00:27:08.579 captures it better 00:27:08.579 --> 00:27:09.420 than the NIV, 00:27:09.619 --> 00:27:10.240 but I think you roll 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:10.659 with the punches 00:27:10.659 --> 00:27:11.819 and you see it still. 00:27:12.180 --> 00:27:13.039 Here's the key word. 00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:13.779 What did he do? 00:27:14.039 --> 00:27:15.139 He didn't win the kingdom. 00:27:16.899 --> 00:27:18.240 He received the kingdom. 00:27:19.460 --> 00:27:20.920 There's a lot of dynamite 00:27:20.920 --> 00:27:21.940 in that one verse. 00:27:22.139 --> 00:27:23.019 Let me just pick out 00:27:23.019 --> 00:27:23.639 just a couple of 00:27:23.639 --> 00:27:24.399 really quick ones. 00:27:26.299 --> 00:27:27.319 Because he's received 00:27:27.319 --> 00:27:27.700 the kingdom, 00:27:27.799 --> 00:27:28.399 it means that there's 00:27:28.399 --> 00:27:29.159 a new superpower 00:27:29.159 --> 00:27:30.220 on the world stage. 00:27:30.279 --> 00:27:30.799 Remember we said 00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:31.559 chapter one, 00:27:31.619 --> 00:27:32.420 this is like a big game 00:27:32.420 --> 00:27:32.879 of risk, 00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:34.200 world domination. 00:27:35.039 --> 00:27:35.839 So there's a new 00:27:35.839 --> 00:27:36.500 superpower 00:27:36.500 --> 00:27:38.240 have just been crowned 00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:38.859 at this point. 00:27:39.500 --> 00:27:39.879 Crucially, 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:40.639 it's the one that 00:27:40.639 --> 00:27:41.299 God had said 00:27:41.299 --> 00:27:42.159 that he would use 00:27:42.159 --> 00:27:43.019 to make a way 00:27:43.019 --> 00:27:44.259 for his people 00:27:44.259 --> 00:27:45.059 to go back 00:27:45.059 --> 00:27:45.819 to their homeland. 00:27:45.940 --> 00:27:47.119 So this is a big moment 00:27:47.119 --> 00:27:48.099 in biblical history. 00:27:48.279 --> 00:27:48.879 It's one verse, 00:27:49.220 --> 00:27:49.900 massive moment. 00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:51.779 And yet, 00:27:52.059 --> 00:27:53.460 we need to understand 00:27:53.460 --> 00:27:55.220 that Darius 00:27:55.220 --> 00:27:56.599 receives the kingdom. 00:27:56.759 --> 00:27:57.379 God gives him 00:27:57.379 --> 00:27:57.819 the kingdom. 00:27:58.400 --> 00:27:59.480 But kings and kingdoms 00:27:59.480 --> 00:28:00.480 will just come and go. 00:28:01.599 --> 00:28:02.359 We'll see this 00:28:02.359 --> 00:28:03.119 in the weeks to come. 00:28:03.220 --> 00:28:03.839 Kings and kingdoms 00:28:03.839 --> 00:28:04.859 will just keep 00:28:04.859 --> 00:28:06.279 spinning round. 00:28:06.940 --> 00:28:07.279 And yet, 00:28:07.319 --> 00:28:08.319 with every single one, 00:28:08.319 --> 00:28:09.559 this Belshazzar spirit 00:28:09.559 --> 00:28:10.339 will live on. 00:28:10.339 --> 00:28:13.159 So we're right back 00:28:13.159 --> 00:28:14.240 to that original question. 00:28:14.339 --> 00:28:15.079 Is there all this stuff 00:28:15.079 --> 00:28:15.980 about breath? 00:28:17.199 --> 00:28:18.079 Is it true 00:28:18.079 --> 00:28:19.159 when I don't see it 00:28:19.159 --> 00:28:19.939 round about me? 00:28:20.240 --> 00:28:21.879 Is God still sovereign? 00:28:22.059 --> 00:28:22.939 Is he reigning 00:28:22.939 --> 00:28:23.599 on the throne 00:28:23.599 --> 00:28:24.619 on his purposes, 00:28:25.419 --> 00:28:26.259 ripening fast 00:28:26.259 --> 00:28:26.980 every hour? 00:28:27.019 --> 00:28:27.480 In the words of 00:28:27.480 --> 00:28:28.119 William Cowper, 00:28:28.359 --> 00:28:29.579 even when all around 00:28:29.579 --> 00:28:30.199 I see, 00:28:30.379 --> 00:28:31.579 is the Belshazzar spirit 00:28:31.579 --> 00:28:32.339 alive and kicking? 00:28:34.579 --> 00:28:35.419 What do we do? 00:28:35.500 --> 00:28:36.059 How do we live? 00:28:36.059 --> 00:28:37.019 I take it that 00:28:37.019 --> 00:28:38.079 we are privileged 00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:38.940 to live this side 00:28:38.940 --> 00:28:39.599 of the cross. 00:28:41.579 --> 00:28:42.679 And this calls us 00:28:42.679 --> 00:28:43.319 to consider 00:28:43.319 --> 00:28:44.419 and draw confidence 00:28:44.419 --> 00:28:45.139 from, 00:28:46.019 --> 00:28:47.220 friends, 00:28:47.299 --> 00:28:47.919 another king 00:28:47.919 --> 00:28:48.519 who received 00:28:48.519 --> 00:28:48.940 a kingdom. 00:28:51.220 --> 00:28:52.379 And you cannot help 00:28:52.379 --> 00:28:53.059 but contrast 00:28:53.059 --> 00:28:54.579 King Belshazzar 00:28:54.579 --> 00:28:56.859 with King Jesus 00:28:56.859 --> 00:28:57.700 in this episode, 00:28:57.799 --> 00:28:58.119 can you? 00:28:59.000 --> 00:28:59.480 Belshazzar, 00:28:59.559 --> 00:29:01.339 he drinks from a cup 00:29:01.339 --> 00:29:02.740 raised to his own glory. 00:29:02.740 --> 00:29:05.539 But Jesus drank 00:29:05.539 --> 00:29:06.339 from a cup, 00:29:07.220 --> 00:29:08.559 one that symbolized 00:29:08.559 --> 00:29:09.480 our sin 00:29:09.480 --> 00:29:10.319 and rebellion 00:29:10.319 --> 00:29:11.539 against this God 00:29:11.539 --> 00:29:12.740 who gives us breath 00:29:12.740 --> 00:29:14.120 and he drank 00:29:14.120 --> 00:29:15.000 the dregs 00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:16.640 of that cup dry 00:29:16.640 --> 00:29:18.019 as he paid 00:29:18.019 --> 00:29:18.640 the price 00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:19.420 of our sin 00:29:19.420 --> 00:29:20.200 on the cross. 00:29:20.460 --> 00:29:21.880 Completely contrasting 00:29:21.880 --> 00:29:22.640 kings and kingdoms. 00:29:25.319 --> 00:29:26.640 And God declared 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:27.660 of Belshazzar, 00:29:27.819 --> 00:29:28.240 numbered, 00:29:28.440 --> 00:29:28.740 numbered, 00:29:28.900 --> 00:29:29.779 tried in one thing, 00:29:29.859 --> 00:29:31.059 but God the Father 00:29:31.059 --> 00:29:32.579 declares of his Son, 00:29:32.740 --> 00:29:33.640 because he went 00:29:33.640 --> 00:29:34.460 to the cross 00:29:34.460 --> 00:29:35.759 to accomplish 00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:37.599 the plan of salvation, 00:29:38.460 --> 00:29:39.240 hatched before 00:29:39.240 --> 00:29:40.380 the foundation of world 00:29:40.380 --> 00:29:41.500 to his Father's glory. 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:43.079 God declared of Jesus, 00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:44.400 this is my Son 00:29:44.400 --> 00:29:45.200 with whom I am 00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:47.000 well pleased. 00:29:47.759 --> 00:29:48.599 Contrasting kings 00:29:48.599 --> 00:29:49.140 and kingdoms. 00:29:49.980 --> 00:29:51.240 And this King Jesus 00:29:51.240 --> 00:29:52.319 we need to understand. 00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:53.200 Our King 00:29:53.200 --> 00:29:54.680 has received, 00:29:54.779 --> 00:29:55.660 as we were singing 00:29:55.660 --> 00:29:56.559 at the start 00:29:56.559 --> 00:29:57.299 and what a pick 00:29:57.299 --> 00:29:58.420 that song was, 00:29:58.900 --> 00:29:59.779 he has received 00:29:59.779 --> 00:30:01.380 an unshakable kingdom. 00:30:01.380 --> 00:30:01.480 kingdom. 00:30:02.440 --> 00:30:03.660 And this Christ, 00:30:03.900 --> 00:30:05.100 he loves us 00:30:05.100 --> 00:30:06.100 and he holds 00:30:06.100 --> 00:30:07.040 history 00:30:07.040 --> 00:30:08.060 and he holds 00:30:08.060 --> 00:30:09.100 our breaths 00:30:09.100 --> 00:30:10.760 in his hand. 00:30:12.100 --> 00:30:13.340 And by faith 00:30:13.340 --> 00:30:14.780 in King Jesus, 00:30:14.900 --> 00:30:15.080 friends, 00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:16.440 we have received 00:30:16.440 --> 00:30:16.980 a kingdom 00:30:16.980 --> 00:30:18.240 that will never 00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:19.600 be toppled 00:30:19.600 --> 00:30:20.780 or shaken. 00:30:21.140 --> 00:30:21.980 And one day 00:30:21.980 --> 00:30:23.160 all of creation 00:30:23.160 --> 00:30:24.480 will need to answer 00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:26.720 to this king. 00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:29.940 So what should we do? 00:30:30.039 --> 00:30:30.579 Let's just close 00:30:30.579 --> 00:30:31.259 with this thought. 00:30:33.039 --> 00:30:33.500 You know, 00:30:33.539 --> 00:30:34.299 our youngest daughter, 00:30:35.900 --> 00:30:37.860 she's going through 00:30:37.860 --> 00:30:39.420 a bit of a frozen spell 00:30:39.420 --> 00:30:39.960 at the moment. 00:30:41.799 --> 00:30:42.539 I've kind of coined 00:30:42.539 --> 00:30:42.960 the phrase, 00:30:43.100 --> 00:30:44.839 I call her a fraudler. 00:30:45.420 --> 00:30:45.600 Okay? 00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:47.700 And I hear her 00:30:47.700 --> 00:30:48.420 the other morning 00:30:48.420 --> 00:30:49.700 on her baby monitor 00:30:49.700 --> 00:30:50.120 singing, 00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:51.079 let it go, 00:30:51.240 --> 00:30:51.799 let it go. 00:30:51.880 --> 00:30:52.620 I don't think she gets 00:30:52.620 --> 00:30:53.400 the rest of the song 00:30:53.400 --> 00:30:54.240 but those three words 00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:55.019 she has nailed. 00:30:55.019 --> 00:30:56.400 Let it go, 00:30:56.680 --> 00:30:57.319 let it go. 00:30:58.740 --> 00:31:00.079 Trying to branch her out 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:00.960 into Frozen 2 00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:02.059 because I'm getting a bit 00:31:02.059 --> 00:31:03.200 sick of the repetitive 00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:03.940 nature of it. 00:31:04.480 --> 00:31:05.599 If you've seen Frozen 2, 00:31:05.680 --> 00:31:06.420 one of the hit songs 00:31:06.420 --> 00:31:07.440 of that film 00:31:07.440 --> 00:31:09.500 that Anna sings 00:31:09.500 --> 00:31:11.039 is called 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:13.039 The Next Right Thing. 00:31:13.980 --> 00:31:15.460 The Next Right Thing. 00:31:16.220 --> 00:31:17.139 All she sees around her 00:31:17.139 --> 00:31:17.579 is darkness 00:31:17.579 --> 00:31:18.240 in that scene. 00:31:18.339 --> 00:31:18.980 She doesn't know 00:31:18.980 --> 00:31:19.660 what's up ahead 00:31:19.660 --> 00:31:21.119 but she's just doing 00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:23.900 the next right thing. 00:31:25.019 --> 00:31:26.400 And that's what Daniel 5 00:31:26.400 --> 00:31:27.299 I think calls 00:31:27.299 --> 00:31:28.460 God's people to do. 00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:31.460 When we see darkness 00:31:31.460 --> 00:31:31.920 around, 00:31:32.099 --> 00:31:32.740 when we don't know 00:31:32.740 --> 00:31:33.519 what's up ahead, 00:31:33.660 --> 00:31:34.900 God just calls us 00:31:34.900 --> 00:31:36.240 to trust him, 00:31:37.039 --> 00:31:38.319 to know his promises 00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:40.279 and do the next 00:31:40.279 --> 00:31:42.279 right thing. 00:31:43.359 --> 00:31:44.539 What's that going to look like 00:31:44.539 --> 00:31:45.779 for you tomorrow 00:31:45.779 --> 00:31:46.359 in the office? 00:31:46.639 --> 00:31:47.539 What's that going to look like 00:31:47.539 --> 00:31:49.259 for you tomorrow 00:31:49.259 --> 00:31:52.079 as you look after your kids? 00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:53.099 What's that going to look like 00:31:53.099 --> 00:31:53.699 tomorrow 00:31:53.699 --> 00:31:55.319 when you meet up 00:31:55.319 --> 00:31:56.000 with your friends 00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:56.720 and family? 00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:57.639 Doing the next 00:31:57.639 --> 00:31:59.220 right thing. 00:31:59.939 --> 00:32:00.579 Trusting him 00:32:00.579 --> 00:32:01.480 for the long haul, 00:32:01.879 --> 00:32:02.579 being obedient 00:32:02.579 --> 00:32:03.579 to his words. 00:32:03.859 --> 00:32:04.500 I take it this is what 00:32:04.500 --> 00:32:05.839 Eugene Peterson called 00:32:05.839 --> 00:32:06.859 a long obedience 00:32:06.859 --> 00:32:08.199 in the same direction. 00:32:09.980 --> 00:32:11.279 Just do the next 00:32:11.279 --> 00:32:12.839 right thing. 00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:14.419 Here's what we can know. 00:32:14.519 --> 00:32:15.460 When we do that, 00:32:15.559 --> 00:32:17.099 when we walk by faith 00:32:17.099 --> 00:32:18.779 with this vision 00:32:18.779 --> 00:32:20.199 of this glorious Christ 00:32:20.200 --> 00:32:21.019 in our minds 00:32:21.019 --> 00:32:21.900 and in our hearts, 00:32:21.940 --> 00:32:24.039 when we walk by faith 00:32:24.039 --> 00:32:25.460 rather than sight 00:32:25.460 --> 00:32:26.680 in our circumstances, 00:32:26.900 --> 00:32:27.080 friends, 00:32:27.140 --> 00:32:27.860 we are standing 00:32:27.860 --> 00:32:28.860 in a long 00:32:28.860 --> 00:32:30.740 and beautiful tradition. 00:32:31.960 --> 00:32:32.640 And be 00:32:32.640 --> 00:32:35.319 so aware 00:32:35.319 --> 00:32:37.180 that as the clock 00:32:37.180 --> 00:32:38.100 ticks over 00:32:38.100 --> 00:32:39.259 mundanely, 00:32:40.299 --> 00:32:41.240 he is working out 00:32:41.240 --> 00:32:41.900 his purposes 00:32:41.900 --> 00:32:43.400 perfectly. 00:32:44.660 --> 00:32:45.340 And let's close 00:32:45.340 --> 00:32:45.700 with this. 00:32:45.700 --> 00:32:46.100 This is 00:32:46.100 --> 00:32:48.960 Jen Wilkin 00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:50.100 who is doing 00:32:50.100 --> 00:32:50.779 some fantastic 00:32:50.779 --> 00:32:52.360 work 00:32:52.360 --> 00:32:53.600 in women's ministry 00:32:53.600 --> 00:32:54.140 heading it up 00:32:54.140 --> 00:32:54.759 in the States. 00:32:55.340 --> 00:32:56.559 She writes this 00:32:56.559 --> 00:32:57.299 in her book 00:32:57.299 --> 00:32:58.039 In His Image. 00:32:58.100 --> 00:32:58.440 If you're looking 00:32:58.440 --> 00:32:58.880 for something 00:32:58.880 --> 00:32:59.640 just devotionally 00:32:59.640 --> 00:33:00.319 to mix it up, 00:33:00.420 --> 00:33:01.039 that's a book 00:33:01.039 --> 00:33:01.620 to get. 00:33:01.960 --> 00:33:02.940 She just writes this, 00:33:03.299 --> 00:33:04.319 the church must be 00:33:04.319 --> 00:33:05.740 a bastion of patience 00:33:05.740 --> 00:33:07.480 as the rest 00:33:07.480 --> 00:33:08.039 of the world 00:33:08.039 --> 00:33:08.960 chases the next 00:33:08.960 --> 00:33:09.559 new thing 00:33:09.559 --> 00:33:10.779 every eight seconds 00:33:10.779 --> 00:33:11.340 or less. 00:33:11.840 --> 00:33:12.460 Eight seconds 00:33:12.460 --> 00:33:13.079 means that we have 00:33:13.079 --> 00:33:14.160 a less attention span 00:33:14.160 --> 00:33:14.880 than a goldfish 00:33:14.880 --> 00:33:15.380 if you're needing 00:33:15.380 --> 00:33:16.440 humbled this morning. 00:33:16.440 --> 00:33:19.160 we must be those 00:33:19.160 --> 00:33:20.680 who turn our eyes 00:33:20.680 --> 00:33:23.700 toward the long view. 00:33:23.700 --> 00:33:23.820 Amen. 00:33:23.820 --> 00:33:24.100 Amen.