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The Sure and Unfailing Word of God
The Sure and Unfailing Word of
God
Daniel
2:45
05-17-70
The story of Chapter
II
The long emphasis upon the forgetfulness of the
king: 2:3-12.
Did he really forget, or feign
forgetfulness to test the astrologers and Chaldeans (priests of
Bel-Merodach)?
cf. speaking in tongues. Genuine?
Three miracles of Pentecost. Why that?
Because I
can be duped?
(a) Seminary student--Gen.
1:1
Calling into review the whole vision and
prophecy. Why?
Why
prophecy?
I. To Deliver us from Mistaken
Judgments
Our limited vision in time (era
of man)
in space (our speck of a
world)
in truth (like looking at a vast
mt.)
in purpose ( a confused
labyrinth)
1. Our false assurances of security
can have tragic effect.
cf. Jeremiah and the false
prophets--Jer. 8:11--"peace, peace"
cf. the
post-millennialists of the early 1900's, the pacifists of the 1920's,
1930's
We unprepared for 1939--World War II. Dan.
9:26--war is determined unto the end. Rev.
19--Armageddon
2. Our false persuasions
concerning the sources of crime.
The sociologist:
poverty--all affluent, no crime
[to begin with,
seemed strange. I so poor.]
(a) TV panel.
Alarming increase in crime. Up! where?
The
affluent. the whole social fabric of America. Now say, a depression cure the
rioting and unrest.
God says: Jer. 17:9; Rom.
3:23
3. Our false sometimes vicious attitudes
toward the Jews, descendants of Abraham
Gen.
12:3
Matt. 25:40
One
of the reasons for the blessing of God upon
America
One of the reasons for the curse of God
upon Germany, Russia
Ps. 122:6 Nazis
Communists
II. To Honor and Exalt the Lord
God
1. He alone knows the secrets of the
future
Prophecy points Him
out.
Why the Bible alone has prophecy. All other
religions are of men.
Dare not speak of the future;
their false predictions then exposed to view.
But
the Bible--God sees the end from the beginning. Speaks of it--cf. Dan. 2:22,
25, 26, 28, 29 30, 47
2. He rules in the
destinies of men.
Daniel 1:2--". . gave . .
"
5:27---". . weighed . ." Who
weighs?
8:17, 25, 32, 35,
37
Name of God used in Daniel: "Adonai Elohim"
The one exception--Dan. 9:13, 14, "Jehovah"
covenant name for His people
cf. Eph.
1:10
III. To give Assurance to God's People
Concerning the Future
1. The tragedies that
can befall God's people--cf. death
cf. these four
young men. The guilt of Judah, judgment upon them. But these young men
caught in the tragedy. They into captivity. Where is God? Why? What of the
future? What of the promises? Purpose of the revelation, for our comfort,
answers.
cf. God's promises to Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob, David. A kingdom forever. Then 723 B.C.--then 587 B.C.--then 70 A.D.
Has God broken His covenant? Was God mistaken? No. Not forget. Every word
faithfully kept.
2. A sign, earnest, pledge of
that faithfulness: the portion of prophecy fulfilled is a pledge of the future
fulfillment of the rest.
(1) Past
fulfilled
We today have 2600 years to check on
God.
The kingdoms of the
visions
No other after Rome. Many attempts:
barbarians who sacked Rome,
Charlemagne, Napoleon,
Kaiser Wilhelm, Hitler, Communist Russia,
China.
The break-up into 10 toes: iron, clay:
totalitarian, democratic.
(2) The rest will
be--
the stones of Dan.
2:34-35
the Son of Man of Dan. 7:13,
14
cf. the prophecies of the 1st coming of
Christ--fulfilled in detail
so " "
" 2nd " " "
"
cf. the saving
gospel in this life--tested, tried
so "
" " the life to come!
The Word
written for our assurance
(a) While preparing
this sermon, young man called me from Chicago. Some there questioning his
conversion: he has a faulty conversion, they said. My reply--How know? Jer.
1:12. Not we but Christ, His Word, promises. Sobbed over the
phone.
(b) "How firm A foundation, ye saints of
the Lord"
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