The sovereignty of god in the book of daniel

Read more hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a. Gods sovereignty in the book of daniel websters dictionary defines the word sovereign as a characteristic of a supreme ruler. We have been considering the sovereignty of god as taught in chapters 24 in the book of daniel. Daniel gives the meaning of history more clearly than any other portion of the bible. Daniel was a young man of jewish nobility taken into captivity by nebuchadnezzar in the third year of jehoiakim and renamed belteshazzar. What the book of daniel teaches us about living in. But first i think we have to understand what the word sovereign truly means. He fiercely defends the sovereignty of god, and all the cognate doctrines such as the doctrines of grace. We should study the book of daniel to understand gods sovereignty over troubled times. Prayer and the sovereignty of god faith bible church online. Literary patterns and gods sovereignty in daniel 4 direction. One of the key themes of the book of daniel is that god is sovereign over.

More often than not, the controversy swirls around a misunderstanding of the truth. The story of nebuchadnezzars dream of the tree and his descent to the life of a beast conveys a message which is not easily lost on any reader, ancient or modern. The book of daniel is a clear revelation of the meaning of history. But god makes that promise, and millions throughout history have testified to its truth because god has proven his ability to back it up time and time again. It leads others to rebel against his representatives in. He is sovereign over the whole world, and everything that happens in it. Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a great tree that shelters the whole world, but in his dream an angelic watcher appears and decrees that. Characteristics such as truthfulness, goodness, faithfulness, righteousness, and love define gods every action. The sovereignty of god in human history calvary chapel.

Accordingly, the book of daniel is not only important as a key to understanding the past in gods sovereign control of both gentile and jewish history but also gives insight concerning the future, and in particular helps to understand the symbolism in the book of revelation. A number of similar definitions of sovereignty can be found in books on. But daniel was a servant of the most high god, the sovereign god of. The book of daniel gives us lessons regarding the sovereignty of god that we need to believe and rest in. And god gave daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the. We find a prophetic lamp in the darkness showing that. Martin collins, reiterating that god s sovereignty is a major theme in the book of daniel, reminds us that if we submit unconditionally to his sovereignty, we have a winwin situation even when initially, it looks bleak and hopeless. The best one, though, really, was when the fellow who was to present me didnt appear and i introduced myself. Daniel, theology of definition and meaning bible dictionary. In the book of daniel, we are reminded that in the midst of great turmoil, our god reigns. For those who are interested, when the lesson gets to daniel chapter 10 later on, you might want to revisit daniel 10.

Misunderstanding his will leads men to underestimate his goodness. Taken to an extreme, it can cause god to seem unfair, prejudiced, and lacking in compassion. What the book of daniel teaches us about living in uncertain times. There are sixteen prophets with books named after them in the old testament lamentations is usually included in the group, bringing us to a total of 17 books, but lamentations is really just a poem written by jeremiah. These new events put the history of gods people into a cosmic and eschatological perspective which showed their god to be in control. The sovereignty of god was a truth the disobedient jews in babylon needed to understand, and it is also a truth desperately needed today. The sovereignty of god in human history calvary chapel ft. So if you asked me about the sovereignty of god, i speak of his powerful control of everything, based on his position, his power, his pleasure. It is the book to give to those just after conversion, and a prime book to. God works not just some things but all things according to the counsel of his own will see eph. Dec 11, 2018 daniel the prophet was the hero and traditional author of the book of daniel. The one that impresses me the most is gods dealings with nebuchadnezzar, king of babylon, in the book of daniel chapters three and four. As gods people in a foreign land that was hostile to their faith and.

From the first chapter to the last, prophecies are evident revealed by god through his angel to daniel. Dads kingdoms challenges authority, belonging to god. The sovereignty of god an introduction to the book. Against them he will thunder in the heavens, the lord will judge the ends of the earth. Im working on a book about this, so theres hundreds of places i could have gone.

He was arrogant, confident, and it appeared that he was in complete control of everything within the empire and that he was sovereign over his own life. These lessons will comfort you in this unpredictable time, grant you security of soul in a world of chaos, and encourage you to live in complete satisfaction in the lord who is working all things for the good of his people and the glory of his name. He is the god of heaven, whose kingdom will never be destroyed dan 2. In daniel 2 these two merge, and the claim of gods sovereignty extends beyond the immediate story to take in all of history. If one attribute were disproportionate or overemphasized, chaos would result on a universal. The book of daniel is a great place to begin studying and understanding the sovereignty of god. His purposes are allinclusive and never thwarted see isa.

Consider the words of daniel to king belshazzar on the last night of babylons insolence. The examples of paul, elisha, and daniel by randy alcorn august 12, 2019 while i doubt anyone this side of heaven will ever manage to fully explain how gods sovereignty and human choice fully fit together, i believe scripture provides us with many examples of how the two work symbiotically. Well, it is an incomparable privilege to be here with you. Prophet daniel was trained in the kings court and then elevated to a high rank in the babylonian and persian kingdoms.

The sovereignty of god is played out in the rest of the book in the conflict between the proud and arrogant rules of the world and the kingdom of god. Ive studied the whole book two different times and can honestly say ive seen and heard different things on each occasion. O king, the most high god gave your father nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. It was god who gave jehoiakim king of israel into nebuchadnezzars hand. The sovereignty of god 1 the sovereignty of god in the book of daniel, king nebuchadnezzar is king over one of the powerful empire that has ever existed, the babylon empire. We find a more sure word of prophecy, for it has a lot to say about the plan of the ages. When we understand the sovereignty of god, we are able to fully rest in him. I have always been particularly captivated by daniels prayer in daniel 2. Though god is sovereign and in control of the universe, we are responsible to obey his directives in the word of god. God s sovereignty is a stumbling block for atheists and unbelievers who demand that if god is in total control, that he eliminate all evil and suffering from the world.

In the historical portions, god s sovereignty is demonstrated. Daniel 4, the madness of nebuchadnezzar the fourth chapter of the bibles book of daniel tells how king nebuchadnezzar learns the lesson of gods sovereignty, who is able to bring low those who walk in pride. Every narrative of daniel 16 screams out for us to see a god who is never surprised or overpowered by any human king or kingdom. The overall theme of the book of daniel is gods sovereignty over history, and the theme of the tales in chapters 16 is that god is sovereign over all earthly kings.

Sooner or later, every believer in the sovereignty of gods grace comes facetoface with a twoedged theological problem that has great practical implications. I look at his providential care of everything and i see his ways, his wisdom, his work, his actual work and the fact that it is his will that is being done. Jan 29, 2020 the book of daniel is a great place to begin studying and understanding the sovereignty of god. God sovereignly worked in the life of prideful, pagan king nebuchadnezzar by sending him a dream which. Chapters 712 are especially full of symbols that speak of what is yet to come. And what is more, it tells us how to live for god in ungodly times, like our own some approach this book as if it were a puzzle given to stretch our minds and to challenge us to compare scripture with scripture, to figure. Daniel is a book for today if only for the reason that it shows the sovereignty of god in dealing with despots. The book of daniel sets up an idea of gods complete sovereignty over all things, and he gives his rule and authority to jesus, the son of man and the messiah.

Book of daniel overview insight for living ministries. Nebuchadnezzar came to realize that he was not in control of things. The god of israel is consistently called the most high god in the book of daniel. On the radio you are sharing the services of the first baptist church in dallas. Daniel, theology of bakers evangelical dictionary of. He is never helpless, never frustrated, never at a loss. Because of the high position he gave him, all the peoples and nations and men of every language dreaded and feared him. Daniel 1 introduces the fundamental question that runs through the entire book, how god may continue to work his plans when all seems lost. Chapter one details her premise and sets her agenda for the remainder of the study. Apr 08, 2019 whatever happens, it accords with the counsel of gods will. Gods sovereignty is a stumbling block for atheists and unbelievers who demand that if god is in total control, that he eliminate all evil and suffering from the world. The promise itself is a testimony to gods sovereignty. In both the historical and the prophetic sections, daniel presents a strong case for the absolute sovereignty of god, even over a multiplicity of selfabsorbed foreign powers. Then, you can test those general statements about gods sovereignty with lots and lots of examples.

Gods prophet, daniel, is asked o interpret the dream. Jan 04, 2020 for those who are interested, when the lesson gets to daniel chapter 10 later on, you might want to revisit daniel 10. What the book of revelation is in the new testament, the book of daniel is to the old. There are at least four themes that dominate this book. Lessons from daniel god is sovereign over the rise and fall of.

God is sovereign over all nations, and rulers are therefore responsible to live ethically under gods lordship. Convert a selected clip from one of your sermons into an animated video creatively styled with strong, visual elements in bold typography. We will note it was written to encourage and comfort the exiles. And the book of daniel, its main point is, yeah, he is. Both times allowed me to see god as completely sovereign, which helps me to rest in him and his plan for my life. The book of daniel is found in the prophetic section of the old testament which means towards the end. This is the pastor bringing the message entitled gods sovereign choice of nebuchadnezzar the conquests of nebuchadnezzar. There are many passages in the bible that illustrate the sovereignty of god. Daniel 4, the madness of nebuchadnezzar the fourth chapter of the bibles book of daniel tells how king nebuchadnezzar learns the lesson of god s sovereignty, who is able to bring low those who walk in pride. This book shocked the christian world in 1919 when he published it. It leads others to rebel against his representatives in government. Merrill willis studies these visions and angelic discourses, resulting in a reading of divine sovereignty as a drama during foreign rule. These critics deny that god is sovereign and supernatural.

The sovereignty of god is the biblical teaching that all things are under gods rule and control, and that nothing happens without his direction or permission. God is in control, no matter how things look, and his kingdom will one day fill the earth. And in christ, gods awesome, sovereign providence is the place we feel most reverent, most secure, most free. Only a god who is sovereign over history could fulfill the prophecies of the coming kingdom of god. Daniel is one of the most controversial books of the bible, yet its message is. No wonder the sovereignty of god is such a prominent theme in daniel. So this chapter emphasizes gods sovereignty over the affairs of nations babylon and israel, v. Martin collins, reiterating that gods sovereignty is a major theme in the book of daniel, reminds us that if we submit unconditionally to his sovereignty, we have a winwin situation even when initially, it looks bleak and hopeless. The book of daniel is often read for its contribution to our understanding of endtimes events, but sometimes christians have been so obsessed with this that we have missed its main message. Critics attack the book of daniel because it supernaturally predicts the future. Sovereignty of god in the book of daniel sermonaudio. Nebuchadnezzars dethroning and gods sovereignty by fat vox while there are many interesting narratives in the book of daniel, one of the most profound and provocative transpires in the fourth chapter. Check out this weeks message takeaway as pastor doug wraps up our series through the book of daniel.

It was to be established by abolishing the present kingdoms of men. The churchs beloved book of daniel is often cited for its wellknown stories with the books plentiful visions left aside only for endtimes discussions. In the historical portions, gods sovereignty is demonstrated. Literary patterns and gods sovereignty in daniel 4.

The sovereignty of god the primary theme of daniel is undoubtedly the sovereignty of god. Also evident in the book of daniel is gods sovereignty. Our church has been steadily working through the book of daniel and each of the four preaching pastors selected their favorite chapter in daniel to preach. Dissonance and the drama of divine sovereignty in the book. Depending on the person and their season of life, hearing a verse like daniel 4. God, the king of the universe, has the power to do whatever he wills. All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. Nebuchadnezzar dreams of a great tree that shelters the whole world, but in his dream an angelic watcher appears and decrees that the tree must be cut down and that. The book of daniel part one church of the great god. And he will give strength to his king, and will exalt the horn of his anointed. Daniel the prophet was the hero and traditional author of the book of daniel. While paul never lost sight of gods sovereignty, he also recognized himself as gods partner in the work of the gospel see 2 corinthians 6. Gods sovereignty according to daniel a jar full of joy. God will establish the kingdom that nebuchadnezzar saw as a great rock that broke off from the mountain in his dream dan 2.