Daniel # 08: an exposition of Daniel 8:1-27. This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, March 10, 2013.
Intro:
Do you ever have bad days? Sometimes I feel like Alexander and I have a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day.
I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there’s gum in my hair when I got up this morning. I tripped on the skateboard and dropped my sweater in the sink when the water was running, and I could tell it was going to be a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day….
In the carpool, Mrs. Gibson let Becky have the seat by the window and Audrey and Elliot got seats by the window too. I said I was scrunched. I said I was smushed. I said, “If I don’t get a seat by the window I am going to get carsick.” Nobody even answered me. I could tell it was going to be a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day…
There were two cupcakes in Philip Baker’s lunch bag and Howard got a Hershey bar with almonds, and Paul’s mother gave him a jelly roll-up that had little coconut sprinkles on top, guess whose mother forgot to put dessert in his lunch. It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day…
There were lima beans for dinner. I hate lima beans. There was kissing on TV. I hate kissing. My bath was too hot, I got soap in my eyes, my marble went down the drain, and I had to wear my railroad train pajamas. I hate my railroad train pajamas…it was a terrible, horrible, no good very bad day.
(Judith Viorst, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day)
I’ve had those terrible, horrible, no good very bad days like Alexander. Those days when nothing goes right. I’ve also had those terrible, horrible, no good very bad days when the doctor said, “It is a tumor. I’m calling the neurosurgeon and we’ll schedule surgery as soon as possible.” I remember being on my way to lunch after church one Sunday afternoon when my phone rang. My dad was crying on the other end saying, “Mom’s gone.” Life in this fallen world is filled with heartache and disappointment. Being a Christian does not make you immune. In fact, because we believe the Bible, we know there are dark, troubling days on the horizon. According to Scripture there are terrible, horrible, no good very bad days to come. Daniel chapter 8 records a vision, given to Daniel in the 2nd year of Belshazzar’s reign, that offers hope to the people of God. The vision reminds us to look to God in faith when times get difficult because He is in control of all things. Our text this morning is found in the 8th chapter of Daniel.
Text: Daniel 8:1-27
The doctrine of the sovereignty of God is not a coffee table doctrine. Something attractive for people to look at and admire. It is an everyday doctrine intended to inform every decision and guide every step.
- This vision comes two years after the vision of chapter 7.
- Daniel was informed about the coming kingdoms.
- How each would come to power and have its day.
- But that each would fail and none would be autonomous.
- There is someone else running the show.
- The Ancient of Days who alone is eternal and who reigns supreme over all.
Through this vision we learn…
Thesis: In the midst of the darkest storm, in the face of your greatest challenge look to the Sovereign God enthroned above and find peace and rest for your soul.
While it is helpful to know “what” it is more comforting to know “who.” While it is beneficial to have some understanding of how things are going to unfold it is more valuable to know the One who controls all things. As we work our way through the text we are going to consider the vision, its interpretation and then draw some lessons from it.
- The Vision – 8:1-14
- The Interpretation – 8:15-27
- What do we learn?
- God controls all things.
- God graciously prepares His people for days of trouble.
- God righteously disposes of His enemies while mercifully delivering His people.