Wisdom from the Only God6/3/2024 ![]() Daniel 2:10 ~ "The Chaldeans answered the king and said, 'There is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean.'" This rant, by the “wise” men of Babylon, conveys the thought that many today embrace: that if man cannot comprehend it, it cannot be done or if man cannot comprehend it, it cannot be true. This situation is found in various forms throughout the Bible. Consider the encounter that Jesus had with Nicodemus in John 3:3-4, "Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Nicodemus said to him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?'" After the resurrection of Jesus, Thomas declares his great uncertainty in John 20:24-25, "Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, 'We have seen the Lord.' But he said to them, 'Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.'" How many times have you determined that it cannot be done or that it cannot be true simply because you did not understand or could not comprehend the situation? Let’s consider our text for today as we return to the “wise” men of Babylon. These men were faced with a terrible conundrum. The king had a dream and he demanded that his wise men interpret the dream. To make matters worse, the king would not divulge any information. No hint, no clue was forthcoming from the king’s lips. The wise men were under the gun to try and interpret a dream that they did not know. You must understand that these men had made a career out of convincing the king that they understood great riddles and mysteries. Now Nebuchadnezzar was testing them to see if they truly had any great insights or revelations that he could trust. In Daniel 2:11 we read their response, "The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh." But there was one truly wise man in Babylon—a man who believed in the Living God—that man was Daniel. Daniel called upon his friends to pray, and he also prayed, that God would reveal the dream and give an interpretation to answer the king. The next day he asked the guard to take him to see the king. Daniel spoke to Nebuchadnezzar and said, "No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days." (Daniel 2:27-28). Suffice it to say, Daniel interpreted the dream, saved the lives of all the “wise” men of Babylon and was elevated to a position of authority. So, who are you like? Are you like the king, plagued by mysteries and seeking answers through worldly wisdom? Do you look to the "wise men" of our age to gain insight into the mysteries that surround your life? Or, are you like the “wise” men of Babylon, when confronted by a mystery, determined that there was no hope of discovering an answer? Do you look at the mysteries around you and decide that your own wisdom is the only source for understanding, and that if you cannot comprehend and unravel the conundrum, it cannot be understood? Or are you like Daniel, when confronted by this mystery he turned to the only One who could give understanding? When you face such mysteries, do you turn to the Living God and His Word and seek understanding from Him? I want to close with a final thought. 1 Corinthians 1:20 states, "Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?" All of the wisdom of worldly thinking cannot comprehend the magnitude of God. No matter how intelligent humanity becomes, there are mysteries that only God can answer. Without Him, there is no hope of finding the answer to life’s riddles. You will face mysteries. I implore you to go to the giver of wisdom—the Living God. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." When you face these mysteries, trust God to give you understanding—in His time and according to His Word. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself in the same boat as the “wise” men of Babylon: persistently confused. In His Grace, Pastor Michael
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