The dramatic story of an old man who's faith was challenged, how envy works and how God's justice prevails

1. Faith during a Crisis
daniel 6

2. PPProbing PPPPoints
• The Privilege of promotion comes from productive
people
• A planning plot producing persecution
• Persistent praying of a privileged pilgrim
• Pandering persecution leads to pernicious
prosecution
• Pricy penalty of a pickled potentate
• Powerful preservation of a praying prophet
• Painful payout of pretentious patriots
• Perfect proclamation from a pardoned Potentate
• Premium prize for perfect probity

3. the Privilege oF Promotion Comes From
ProduCtive PeoPle. v. 1-3
• Robert G. Lee - “When there are so many
unsaved people around, when there are
sorrowing hearts to be comforted, when so
many young people are throwing away their
life in folly’s court and carnal pleasure’s
mart; when there are so many evils against
which protest must be made; when so many
old people are lonely on the sunset trail;
when in 1910, at my ordination, I was
married to preaching until death do us part;
why should I not in the 85th year of my life
keep on preaching?”

4. • “Newman Darlan, a scholar of accepted standing,
made an analysis of the lives and achievements of
400 foremost characters of history. The analysis
showed that nearly 80% of the world’s greatest
figures closed active lives between 58 and 80.
• 25% continued beyond 70, 22 ½% beyond 80, and
6% beyond 90. Consider what has been done by
men beyond 80:
• When 83, Gladstone became Prime Minister of
Great Britain, for the fourth time.
• Michelangelo, at 89, executed his Last Judgment
• John Wesley preached with almost undiminished
eloquence at 88.
• Edison was inventing at 90.
• Wright, at 90, was considered a creative architect.
• Shaw was writing plays at 90.
• Grandma Moses was painting at 80.
• J.C. Penny, was working strenuously at his desk at
95.”
ProduCtive PeoPle

5. • Daniel should serve as a beacon to elders of the church
and Darius a light to our youthful generation.
• It is by reason of age one may establish an excellent
spirit; righteous business dealings and the principle of
being faithful to those over him (Dan 6:3, 4).
• But much more than that he can be observed that he is
one committed to prayer from youth onward and a
wiliness to obey God rather than man (Dan 6:10).
• Thus when Paul appealed to the youthful preacher,
Timothy, he commanded that he appoint the elderly and
respect them as fathers (1 Tim. 3:1-8; 5:1).
the Privilege oF Promotion Comes
From ProduCtive PeoPle. v. 1-3

6. a planning plot producing
persecution V. 4-9
• As they begin to plot they found no fault,
shechath, which means “to corrupt.” They
found no error, shalu, which means “to
neglect.”
• In other words, the corruption is the sin of
commission, and the error is the sin of
omission.

7. • Envy can exist in the best ordered community. In Philippians 1,
Paul was a prisoner for preaching Christ, and some were adding
affliction to his bonds by saying evil things about his ministry.
• Envy is excited by the sight of superior goodness in others.
The warmer the sun shines and the softer the rain falls on our
gardens, the faster the weeds grow yet the sun nor rain is to be
blamed for weeds. The peerless purity of Jesus Christ exasperated
men to commit the foulest offence that our earth has ever
witnessed.
• Envy is so despicable because it compels one to search after
sins in others. Instead of "preferring one another" (Phil. 2) envy
debases one another.
• Envy seeks to gain its end by the most discreditable methods
"We shall find no occasion of blame against this Daniel, except we
find it against him concerning the Law of his God."
• Therefore, envy is nothing better than incipient murder (1 Jn.
3:15).
• The New Testament confirms this lesson from Daniel. (2 Timothy 3:10-
13).
Facts about enVy

8. a planning plot producing
persecution V. 4-9
To achieve their purpose of doing away withTo achieve their purpose of doing away with
Daniel, they must achieve three goals:Daniel, they must achieve three goals:
• (1) They must discredit Daniel in relationship
to his religion by which he lived.
• (2) They must discredit Daniel by passing a new
law, designed to lead to Daniel’s death.
• (3) They must do away with Daniel against the
king’s will.

9. the persistent praying oF a
priVileged pilgrim.
What optionsdid Daniel have?What optionsdid Daniel have?
• (1) Obey the new law, making his petitions to the(1) Obey the new law, making his petitions to the
king.king.
• (2) Appeal to the king to change or repeal the law.(2) Appeal to the king to change or repeal the law.
• (3) Cease praying altogether, making no petitions(3) Cease praying altogether, making no petitions
for 30 days.for 30 days.
• (4) Limit his prayers to thanksgiving and praise,(4) Limit his prayers to thanksgiving and praise,
simply setting aside his petitions for 30 days.simply setting aside his petitions for 30 days.
• (5) Simply continue to pray, privately.(5) Simply continue to pray, privately.
• Daniel chose none of these options. Lions win whenLions win when
Christians stop praying.Christians stop praying.

10. pandering persecution leads
to pernicious prosecution
• “That foreigner.” “That prisoner.” “That
captive.” “He’s not like us.”
• It was the king’s ego that entrapped him.
• Daniel never takes up his own cause, never
defends himself; like Christ, he is dumb before
his shearers and opens not his mouth.

11. Pricy Penalty of a Pickled
Potentate
• He agreed to it and he had to
execute it.
• Thy God whom thouThy God whom thou
servest continually, He willservest continually, He will
deliver thee.”deliver thee.”
• Some heroes of the faith
were delivered from death,
(Hebrews 11:32-34).
Others, however, were
delivered through death
(Hebrews 11:35-40).

12. PowerfulPowerful
Preservation of aPreservation of a
Praying ProPhetPraying ProPhet

13. Powerful Preservation of aPowerful Preservation of a
Praying ProPhetPraying ProPhet

14. angel Ministration - hebrews 1:14
THEIR EXISTENCETHEIR EXISTENCE
• From the withholding of Abraham’s knife to the heavenly vision of
the Revelator angels are known to exist.
THEIR NATURETHEIR NATURE
• They are spiritual. "Are they not all spirits ( πνεύματα)?"
• But may be clothed upon with human form (Gen. 18; Heb. 13:2)
• Are created beings capable of moral decisions who like us are
made with eternity in mind (Matt. 25:41).
THEIR PURPOSEFUL LIFETHEIR PURPOSEFUL LIFE
• "Are they not all liturgic (λειτουργικὰ)?"
THEIR APOSTOLIC CHARACTERTHEIR APOSTOLIC CHARACTER
• "Are they not all … sent forth?"
THEIR MINISTRATIONTHEIR MINISTRATION
• They are "sent forth" to bring us help, to aid the otherwise
helpless.

15. Painful Payout of
Pretentious Patriots
Don’t get God riledDon’t get God riled

16. The perfecT proclamaTion
from a pardoned poTenTaTe
• “He delivereth - ”
• “ - and rescueth,
• and He worketh signs and wonders in
heaven and in earth,...”
• Who gets the glory in the chapter?

17. premium prize for
perfecT probiTy

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