Q&A: Daniel 5

Daniel 5 Q&A

Here are some brief answers to our questions from our Sunday evening service. If you would like to discuss more, please call me or email at bruces@stphils.org.au.

1. Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 sure looks like judgement. Was it? If you prefer to call it an "intervention", what's the difference?

Yep. I would at first agree. But revisiting my answer from Sunday on this, although it looks like judgment and God's immediate punishment, I have to ask - was he actually judging them? Perhaps. Or perhaps just using them as a stark illustration to witnesses of the expectations of Jesus' disciples under the new covenant.

Under the New Covenant, God's judgment has been held over until the final day - the return of Jesus. At the time of Acts, the Church of God was being established at the end of the "intertestamental period" - the time between covenants. God was doing extraordinary work at this time through the apostles and the Holy Spirit. So this time was not "normal". But perhaps... perhaps... it was simply God's intervention. You could also say that his judgment is yet to come on Ananias and Sapphira. When Jesus returns, they will stand before him and answer for their actions.

Acts 12:23 is another example of this - when Herod is struck down dead by an angel of the Lord.

Why am I being so unclear on this?! Acts is an extraordinary time that doesn't fit into any clear "box". So I admit this is hard to "classify" with simple terms. But we do still know that Jesus will return and judge them all. But in the meantime, he can and does intervene in human history... sometimes by striking people down. They will still, however, face judgment day.

2. So why did Daniel accept the purple robe once he had explained the words even though he said he wouldn't?

Perhaps he knew the kingdom was about to end anyway so none of it mattered! Or it teaches us that it's good to turn down human praise and reward when offered, but nothing wrong with accepting such accolades when they are thrust upon us.

3. What’s the difference between God’s judgement and God’s intervention in the world?

The simplest way to put this? God's judgment is final for all eternity. God's intervention is temporary. God may intervene to heal from sickness. But it is temporary. God may even intervene to remove a world leader who is a tyrant. But that is also temporary as more evil leaders will rise up! God's judgment brings things to an end. The Babylonian Empire was brought to an end with God's judgment in Daniel 5.

4. How do we explain to a non-Christian when talking about God letting evil happen in the world, and the idea of God intervening or not intervening with the world?

Romans 1 is perhaps helpful here. God has "given us over" to our own desires and wills. He will not stand back and do nothing, but he also allows human free will. That is, God allows us to make a mess of our lives, but he wants to help us.

For a non-believer, perhaps the best suggestion is to listen - to ask "how do you think the world operates? And why? Is it random? Is someone in control? It's really helpful to try and work out where the questions are coming from. Often there is a searching for deeper answers.

5. The media has been reporting a split in the Anglican church. Hoping you can please speak to what's really happening.

I sent an email out last week giving some more details about this, so please contact me if you didn't receive this. In short, a new Diocese has been established for those throughout Australasia who are Anglicans serving under Bishops who are no longer following the Bible's teaching - in particular at the moment on matters of human sexuality and marriage. This goes against those Bishop's consecration vows and against the Anglican Church's Constitution and Articles of faith. Unfortunately, these Bishops have not been removed from their office for this false teaching by the leaders above them. This is very sad. Therefore, some other Anglicans (a group under GAFCON), have established this new Diocese as a kind of "lifeboat" for those who need it at the moment. It allows them to remain Anglican and to remain faithful to the Bible's teaching - and to allow them to serve under a Bishop (Glenn Davies) who is directed by BIblical truth.

6. Why doesn't God intervene more visibly/noticeably these days?

I think he does. Sometimes we are not looking for it and we don't see it. We often attribute healings to medicine for example. But perhaps God was behind the medicine! But I also believe there are many ways that God intervenes which we perhaps attribute to natural events. We are not predisposed to thinking about the supernatural and I think we like to always make logical analyses of the events that occur day to day.

7. How can we be so sure of the date that the Babylonian empire fell? Even the Biblical manuscripts are not often so accurate in dates.

I won't pretend to be an expert in this, but friends of mine who are experts assure me that the Bible has often been proven by historical finds. When people think the Bible has been wrong, historical evidence often pops up to show it has been right all along. One example in this passage however is also lost in translation. It says Nebuchadnezzar was Belshazzar's Father. But, in fact, he was not. The word "Father" can also be translated as predecessor" or "ancestor". So we can't take the English translation literally sometimes. We do need to just check some of these deeper facts. The great news is that translations are getting better and better as we come to understand ancient Hebrew and ancient cultures. Again, I'm not an expert but there are people who are and have written great books on this area! Here's an article by the gospel coalition that may help point a way forward in this discussion.

8. Should we expect to see signs like the handwriting on the wall in our day?

The handwriting in Daniel 5 was a judgment. So no, we won't see it with that sort of purpose. But people do sometimes see things like this. We must be careful not to attribute them always to God. Sometimes, the evil one does these things to lure people into the spiritual world of sorcery and demons. If it is from God, it will advance his kingdom. If it is from the devil it will distract from God's kingdom. God can do extraordinary things like this today, but I can't imagine he would do them if he thought they would not be helpful to us. If they cause us to stumble or doubt him, that would not be a very effective sign! I believe God reaches out to us in helpful ways. More often than not, it probably doesn't include strange writing on a wall today in our culture. But sometimes... maybe it does!

9. If Daniel had been made 3rd highest in the kingdom didn't that put him at risk with the Medes and Persians coming to town?

I doubt the Medes and Persians knew what had happened just moments before their invasion. But just being in the city, Daniel would certainly have been at risk. And it was an awful attack. Daniel 6 starts to unfold the sort of rulers they were. This article from the Gospel Coalition tells us what horrible sorts of things happened during the Persian takeover...

"The Babylonians themselves strangled many of their wives and children to keep them from starving to death during the siege or being taken as slaves by the Persians. After the city was defeated Herodotus says that the city gates were pulled down and 3000 of the leading citizens were impaled upon the walls."

10. Was it wrong when I prayed for a parking spot? I didn't blame God if I didn't get one every time.

Not at all! Praying for little and big things is a way to remind us to trust in God - whether he intervenes or not. If we want to trust him with the big things, it's actually great to consistently trust him with the small things! (sometimes those small things aren't so small!)

11. Did everyone in OT times receive immediate judgement (or blessing), or is it mainly just a few people as examples?

Not everyone. God is very patient. There are many examples, but it was the general way He worked - especially with His own people Israel. The book of Judges is a great example of that. Israel disobey. God is patient. Then he judges. Then they repent. Then He delivers them.

12. Will Belshazzar face judgement again on Judgement Day? Or has he already been judged?

Good question. I would say he will still face judgment on judgment day - because everyone will. But we already know where he will stand on that day. On that Judgment Day, the judgment on him will concur with his judgment in 539BC.

13. Is it wrong to ask God to intervene? Will our prayers make a difference?

Pray in the Spirit on all occasions. Ephesians 6:18. Our prayers make a difference. God wants to hear our desires, our needs, and our praise. The great reformer John Calvin said that Prayer is the chief exercise of faith. It is key to expressing our dependence on God and trust in Him. And it is effective - the Bible tells us...

14. How can we attribute "All good things are from God" while also saying that "All bad things don't come from God"?

Let me offer a couple of Bible verses here:

The world is broken. Because of human sin, the world has fallen - it is not the way it was created. Therefore, bad things happen. God allows them to happen because he allows us free choice to make mistakes and to do the wrong things. God often protects us from bad things, but not always. Truly "good" things come from God. What James means by this is what is good in God's terms. Things that bring him honour and praise. If we strip away the worldly things around us and focus on the Kingdom of Heaven, we can see what truly matters and what is truly good.

Bad things happen because God allows us to live in the world that we have broken. But they are also reminders that we need rescue!

15. Would you agree that the writing on the wall should remind us of our sinfulness but also motivate us to share the gospel?

Yes, I think it is a helpful reminder that we are all sinful people. And that the writing is on the wall for judgment. We do need to repent now before it is too late like it was for Belshazzar.

16. Can the suffering be perceived as the time we are learning to cling to God though we do not understand why we suffer?

Absolutely. Suffering is terrible, but it can be a way to build perseverance. here is a GREAT verse on this!...

17. If we are close to God, we know more sensitive to sinful acts (even hidden ones). Is it right?

Yes, I think that is right. When we are closer to God in his Word and in prayer, the Holy Spirit is at work in us and He is at work in our conscience and working in our hearts to move away from sin.

18. If we trace evil back to Satan in the world, doesn't it mean that God allowed evil to affect the world?

Yes, God allowed evil to affect this world. He is a God who allows us the freedom to love him and the freedom to walk away from him. In doing the latter, he allows us to sin and damage the world we live in. But what are the alternatives? If he takes that free choice away, what is life on earth?

The choice was there from the beginning. Choose life or death.

By allowing us to choose our own rule instead of God's rule, God does allow us to sin. He allows evil to affect the world. But always with the hope that we will return to him. in seeing the chaos of our fallen and sinful world, we should be driven into the arms of God who offers us eternal freedom and hope.

Click here to watch the questions answered during our live Q&A after the sermon at night church last Sunday.

Q and A is from 1:15:00