Living as Exiles
Apologies for the sub-optimal audio – the preacher was quite mobile and was not always standing in front of the microphones
Introduction
Why looking at this theme?
Exile is a biblical theme
It is applicable in 2023
The culture around us is not dissimilar to the culture of Babylon
Babylon was not just interested in conquest but culture assimilation and dominance
Religious statement
Given new names – the names of Babylonian gods
Nebuchadnezzar takes all the contents of the Temple
Multi-cultural
Technologically advanced
Babylon was intent on wiping out any culture that came in its path
Today: faith squeezed to the margins if not forbidden
The danger is to get scared and discouraged – to lose heart
Daniel is written to encourage Jews in exile
The aim this evening is to encourage us
Nebuchadnezzar is troubled and inadequate (v1-3)
He was an absolute dictator
He saw himself as a god-like figure
Yet in these verses: he is in bed and cannot sleep
He was the most powerful man in the earth but could not sleep
Such powerful people in our would are often troubled and inadequate
People often ‘project’ success
They are often not what they seem
The wise men are ignorant and are inadequate (v4-11)
They were the elite of the Babylonians
They were stalling for time and could not do what the king had asked
The intelligencia of our day may seem like they have all the answers
If you do not know God, you know nothing
If you do know God, you have access to the wisdom of God
If you have seen Christ, you have see the Father
Christ is sufficient
God still speaks – even in exile (v14-23)
The God of heaven answers
Daniel gives an amazing prayer of praise
The Old Testament – was about the place of God
Is God still God, in Babylon?
God is not just the God of Jerusalem
God is the God of the whole world
Example of Revival Edition
Our temptation is to limit God
God still speaks
Man-made kingdoms rise and fall (v26-45)
An extraordinary prophecy
Clear in detail
Clearly fulfilled in history
Babylonians, followed by the Persians & Medes, followed by the Greek empire, followed by the Roman Empire, followed by the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ
The first encouragement is that man-made kingdoms rise and fall
"History doesn’t repeat itself but it often rhymes"
Our culture/age will rise and fall
The second encouragement is that Christ’s kingdom
Christ’s kingdom is the stone that comes to shatter the kingdoms of the world
From ‘humble’ origins the Kingdom grew – explanation
The Kingdom continues to grow and spread around the world
God’s people can still be blessed – even in exile (v46-49)
This is a great encouragement – to see God’s people thriving and being blessed
See also the Book of Esther
We should pray that God will continue to bless His people ‘in exile’
How God blesses
Daniel faces the temptation to take the glory for himself
But gives the glory to God (v27)
He is not scared to name the name of God
Even into old age
Closing Remarks
We can thrive in our exile/culture
There is a challenge to ‘squeeze’ God
Name the name of God