TOPIC: Prophecy; Character, Conduct, Promises (of God), Understanding
TITLE: "A PROPHETIC WORD -- How prophecy strengthens us!"
TEXT: Daniel 10:14, 18-19 [2-19]
Even though the strengthening was by way of an angelic visitor's touch, it was the prophet's faith (belief) which allowed him to be effected ... he believed the messenger's words ... "as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength."
Now (Chapters 11 & 12) Daniel was about to become familiar with the promises of God concerning Israel.
It is God's intention His words strengthen those who hear them, same as Daniel [Romans 10:17]; God intends His words to influence us.
We conclude prophetic messages are intended to "strengthen" or influence or change those who receive them by faith.
We need strengthening as much as Daniel; we too are weary of the continuing powerlessness and decline of the church (the true Church being our Israel).
As Scofield said in his classic Addresses on Prophecy -
God inaugurated a plan for the ages; He has revealed this plan to His people in His Word (His Son, John 1:14).
In ages past, He inspired men to keep a record, so that their experiences might be examples for those living in the present [1 Corinthians 10:11]; He inspired still others to speak words of prophetic mystery [Hebrews 1:1] concerning the future, so that men of every age would be inspired or condemned by them; He then spoke through His Son once, for all and for all time, in "these last days" [Hebrews 1:2-4]; and His Son declared "It is finished" [John 19:30]; We are also reminded the Law and the Prophets were fulfilled in Him [Luke 24:44].
God’s promises are revealed through prophecy; they are joined at the hip, and play a critical role in the strengthening of His people.
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How does Daniel's context parallel ours?
EXPANDED OUTLINE
And Paul cautions us to recognize that hope that is seen is not hope at all.
Now, shifting gears - what forms conduct and builds character?
And our behavior (ultimately) finds its roots in character – character is who we are! Consider a good man habitually exhibiting bad behavior ... it is an oxymoron to think a man is good who regularly exhibits bad conduct.
Turn that around: consider a bad man habitually behaving morally and ethically ... another oxymoron.
Hopelessness or hopefulness, it's our choice. If the Word of God is errant, fallible, and not God-breathed, we're hopeless; there's no future in these.
If the Word of God is inerrant, infallible, and God-breathed, then we're hopefilled. There is prophetic truth in these; in these is hopefilled expectation from generation unto generation.
For hope is from expectation and it is born out of that expected or promised ... our promise is in God's prophetic word. If the word of God can’t be trusted; there is no hope because there is no promise.
To be familiar with God’s promises we must be intimate with His prophecies; this requires intimacy with the Author. Intimacy implies knowledge of both; this knowledge is formative … it forms who we are.
And knowledge of God’s promises brings expectation to the table.
We don’t know the day or the hour, but we’re confident He is coming back; this knowledge should influence us to act accordingly.
Don't confuse reputation with character; a gifted gossip can ruin a good man's reputation but not his character; a gifted ad man can get an immoral man elected president.
Everything and more than what Daniel learned and "understood" is ours! We have Christ; and Christ said, "It is finished."
Peter writes that even the angels would like to look into what we know [1 Peter 1:12].
Hope comes from the expectation a thing will occur, a formative influence. Hope, for believers, is rooted in our salvation [Romans 8:24], a promise of God.
What and who we know are formative; where we are ignorant of a matter or a thing we are free from its formative influence.
That which we know intimately influences our character (and therefore our conduct) intimately.
We are not a religious people, we are a relational people; God desires an intimate relationship with each and every one of us.
CHALLENGE: So, if it’s behavior we wish to influence in our churches, and it’s character we wish to build in our people, we must begin first with our church and then with ourselves … just as Daniel did.
We must acknowledge our failure to have an intimate relationship with God, solid knowledge of His promises, and a faithful expectation of their coming fulfillment.
Then, and only then, will we be strengthened by the both the Author of our faith and the Promise Keeper Himself.
TITLE: "A PROPHETIC WORD -- How prophecy strengthens us!"
TEXT: Daniel 10:14, 18-19 [2-19]
"Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future."TRUTH CLAIM/CONTEXT: Daniel, great man of faith, broken hearted over Israel, "mourning" for his nation; weak from fasting, his strength fails him in the presence of an angelic messenger; but the messenger gave him "understanding of what will happen to [his] people in ... the days yet future" and he was strengthened.
...
"Then this one with human appearance touched me again and strengthened me. He said, 'O man of high esteem, do not be afraid. Peace be with you; take courage and be courageous!' Now as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength and said, 'May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.'"
Even though the strengthening was by way of an angelic visitor's touch, it was the prophet's faith (belief) which allowed him to be effected ... he believed the messenger's words ... "as soon as he spoke to me, I received strength."
Now (Chapters 11 & 12) Daniel was about to become familiar with the promises of God concerning Israel.
It is God's intention His words strengthen those who hear them, same as Daniel [Romans 10:17]; God intends His words to influence us.
We conclude prophetic messages are intended to "strengthen" or influence or change those who receive them by faith.
We need strengthening as much as Daniel; we too are weary of the continuing powerlessness and decline of the church (the true Church being our Israel).
As Scofield said in his classic Addresses on Prophecy -
"there is implied in the influence of any truth, the fact that it is really believed to be true." [Addresses on Prophecy, C. I. Scofield, A.C. Gaebelein Publ. (NY 1910) p. 3]Scofield also wrote elsewhere,
"The church ... has failed to follow her appointed pathway of separation, holiness ... and testimony to an absent but coming Christ; she has turned aside from that purpose to the work of civilizing the world, building magnificent temples, and acquiring earthly power and wealth, and in this way, has ceased to follow in the footsteps of Him who had not where to lay His head." [C. I. Scofield, The Biggest Failure of the Church Age]Oh how true; both then and now.
God inaugurated a plan for the ages; He has revealed this plan to His people in His Word (His Son, John 1:14).
In ages past, He inspired men to keep a record, so that their experiences might be examples for those living in the present [1 Corinthians 10:11]; He inspired still others to speak words of prophetic mystery [Hebrews 1:1] concerning the future, so that men of every age would be inspired or condemned by them; He then spoke through His Son once, for all and for all time, in "these last days" [Hebrews 1:2-4]; and His Son declared "It is finished" [John 19:30]; We are also reminded the Law and the Prophets were fulfilled in Him [Luke 24:44].
God’s promises are revealed through prophecy; they are joined at the hip, and play a critical role in the strengthening of His people.
FOUNDATIONAL INQUIRY: How does Daniel's context parallel ours?
EXPANDED OUTLINE
I. IT PARALLELS -A. In That Both Face the Same DilemmaII. IT DOESN’T PARALLEL -1. The Jews were being held captive by Persia; we are being held captive by the world
2. Israel was rebelling; so is the Church
3. Daniel was "mourning" Israel [2, 3]; we are mourning the Church
4. He is feeling hopeless, he was losing his will to keep on keeping on [8, 9]; we often feel similar to this
5. Future revealed to Daniel; future revealed to usA. IN THAT –1. Daniel was reading his “books” [9:2]; we aren’t reading ours
2. He prayed and fasted [3, 4]; we aren’t doing much of the former and little of the latter
3. Daniel’s humility impressed God [12, 17]; what do you think God thinks of Gringo humility?
4. Christ came to give him understanding & strengthen him [14]; He’s departed from visible church, we’ve lost our understanding, and remain without strength
5. Daniel had ears that heard and eyes that see [8, 9]; we have neither
6. God held Daniel in high esteem [11]; no comment
7. Sent an angel to strengthen him [14, 18-19]; only sends angels to televangelists
8. Revelation renders Daniel speechless [15]; we can’t shut up
9. He confesses his own powerlessness [16]; the church is trying to impress God with all that it can do for Him
APPLICATION: One hundred years have passed since the writing of Scofield's now classic work: nothing has changed.
"There is a great deal of the study of prophetic truth, and a great deal of the hearing of the exposition of prophetic truth which has no effect upon conduct or character, simply because it is heard or studied without faith." [Scofield, p. 4]Faith is the conduit for illumination [1 Corinthians 2:12-13] just as it is for saving grace [Ephesians 2:8].
And Paul cautions us to recognize that hope that is seen is not hope at all.
Now, shifting gears - what forms conduct and builds character?
"It is ... a believing understanding of prophetic truth which has an influence upon either character or conduct." [Ibid.]Common sense reveals that conduct is what we do, how we conduct ourselves ... our behavior!
And our behavior (ultimately) finds its roots in character – character is who we are! Consider a good man habitually exhibiting bad behavior ... it is an oxymoron to think a man is good who regularly exhibits bad conduct.
Turn that around: consider a bad man habitually behaving morally and ethically ... another oxymoron.
Hopelessness or hopefulness, it's our choice. If the Word of God is errant, fallible, and not God-breathed, we're hopeless; there's no future in these.
If the Word of God is inerrant, infallible, and God-breathed, then we're hopefilled. There is prophetic truth in these; in these is hopefilled expectation from generation unto generation.
For hope is from expectation and it is born out of that expected or promised ... our promise is in God's prophetic word. If the word of God can’t be trusted; there is no hope because there is no promise.
To be familiar with God’s promises we must be intimate with His prophecies; this requires intimacy with the Author. Intimacy implies knowledge of both; this knowledge is formative … it forms who we are.
And knowledge of God’s promises brings expectation to the table.
[RETURN] A farmer had an old hound dog that he cherished. One day the dog disappeared, and several weeks passed without his return. In spite of this, the farmer continued to set out fresh food for the dog every day.Today we wait for Christ's return with great expectancy … it’s promised.
Finally, in curiosity, one of the farmer's neighbors asked why he continued to set out food for the dog when he obviously was not returning.
"He will be back," replied the farmer. "Because he knows I am here waiting for him. And when he gets here I want him to know he is welcome back."
We don’t know the day or the hour, but we’re confident He is coming back; this knowledge should influence us to act accordingly.
Don't confuse reputation with character; a gifted gossip can ruin a good man's reputation but not his character; a gifted ad man can get an immoral man elected president.
Everything and more than what Daniel learned and "understood" is ours! We have Christ; and Christ said, "It is finished."
Peter writes that even the angels would like to look into what we know [1 Peter 1:12].
Hope comes from the expectation a thing will occur, a formative influence. Hope, for believers, is rooted in our salvation [Romans 8:24], a promise of God.
What and who we know are formative; where we are ignorant of a matter or a thing we are free from its formative influence.
That which we know intimately influences our character (and therefore our conduct) intimately.
We are not a religious people, we are a relational people; God desires an intimate relationship with each and every one of us.
CHALLENGE: So, if it’s behavior we wish to influence in our churches, and it’s character we wish to build in our people, we must begin first with our church and then with ourselves … just as Daniel did.
We must acknowledge our failure to have an intimate relationship with God, solid knowledge of His promises, and a faithful expectation of their coming fulfillment.
Then, and only then, will we be strengthened by the both the Author of our faith and the Promise Keeper Himself.
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