THE COMMITMENT TO BELIEVE GOD (Part One)

There are two stories in the book of Daniel that show us the absolute commitment that we must have if we are going to walk with and for the One True God.

There are two stories in the book of Daniel that show us the absolute commitment that we must have if we are going to walk with and for the One True God.
Daniel 2:1 And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from him.
2 Then the king commanded to call the magicians, and the astrologers, and the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans, for to show the king his dreams. So they came and stood before the king.
3 And the king said unto them, I have dreamed a dream, and my spirit was troubled to know the dream.
4 Then spake the Chaldeans to the king in Syriack, O king, live for ever: tell thy servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.
5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, The thing is gone from me: if ye will not make known unto me the dream, with the interpretation thereof, ye shall be cut in pieces, and your houses shall be made a dunghill.
6 But if ye show the dream, and the interpretation thereof, ye shall receive of me gifts and rewards and great honour: therefore show me the dream, and the interpretation thereof.
7 They answered again and said, Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation of it.
8 The king answered and said, I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me.
9 But if ye will not make known unto me the dream, there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed: therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that ye can show me the interpretation thereof.
Can you imagine the consternation of these Chaldeans? They were use to telling people what the dreams meant not what the dream was AND the interpretation. Talk about being put into a precarious position. Do something that they know can’t be done or die. They must have thought the king was crazy.
10 The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the earth that can show the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
11 And it is a rare thing that the king requireth, and there is none other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.
They were right in that only by God could this request from the king be accomplished. What they didn’t understand is that God had a man that he talked to and that man served God.
What is extrodinary about this is that man, Daniel, was a captive. The very king that he served had conqueror Israel, killed thousands of Jews and took many more into captivity. Daniel could have been just a servant but by walking with God he had become one of the men the king looked to for guidance.
12 For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.
13 And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
14 Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:
15 He answered and said to Arioch the king’s captain, Why is the decree so hasty from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
It makes you wonder how many “wise men” had died before they got to Daniel.
16 Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would show the king the interpretation.
17 Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:
He made it known to them, for what purpose? Perhaps Daniel bought enough time so that these men could escape out of the kingdom? What would you do? Fight flight or turn to God for help?
18 That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
Well they really stuck their foot in it now! Instead of running or plotting to overthrow the king they prayed. The One Thing that this world, today, says is to no benefit, they did.
19 Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
Yeah, I’ld be doing a little more than blessing the God of heaven. I’ld be jumping up and down so high from thankfulness that I could give God a kiss on the cheek!
20 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his:
21 And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:
22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.
23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.
24 Therefore Daniel went in unto Arioch, whom the king had ordained to destroy the wise men of Babylon: he went and said thus unto him; Destroy not the wise men of Babylon: bring me in before the king, and I will show unto the king the interpretation.
25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste, and said thus unto him, I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.
26 The king answered and said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?
27 Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, show unto the king;
28 But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these;
What or who does Daniel give credit to? Himself? His upbringing? No, he gave the glory and recognition to God.
If you read further you will find that the king got his answer and he exalted Daniel to a position of great power. All because of Daniel’s commitment to believe God would deliver him.