Big Idea - Does God ever lose? We love the story of Elijah's showdown on Mt Carmel with the Prophets of Baal. We see the mighty power of God as fire falls from heaven and consumes Elijah's sacrifice on the altar and even the altar itself! God wins! But Daniel is not Elijah. Daniel is taken captive as a prisoner of war, along with items of worship from the Temple. Jehoiakim, King of Israel, is defeated by Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon. In ancient times, conquering a nation also meant you conquered their gods. When Nebuchadnezzar put the captured Temple vessels in the house of his own god, Marduk, it was proof to everyone that Yahweh, the God of Israel, had been defeated by Marduk, the god of Babylon. How could God allow Himself to be defeated? More importantly, what did it mean for Daniel and the people of Israel to be now following a God who lost? This is a very relevant question as we seek to live out our faith in God in a place where the God of the Bible is easily dismissed as nothing. It seems that in Thailand, Jesus cannot begin to rival the thousands of Temples and countless idols that seem to have so much more power than the God of the Bible. What does it look like to live out our faith in a place where it feels like God is losing?
In spite of all appearances, the truth is that God is in control and is at work even when it looks like He has lost. The entire book is really the story of how God works and how God wins even when it seems like He has lost. First, we see that even in the worst of circumstances, God is still in control. He is in the circumstances, no matter how bad it may look. Second, God is the one who helps us solve our problems when we resolve to live for His purpose. Daniel was resolved to be different in order to be faithful to God and a witness to Him. God is the one who made the way for Daniel and his friends to live a life that would honor God and glorify His name before the Babylonians. Finally, God is the one who gives us success. God gave Daniel and his friends the skills and abilities they needed to succeed to stand out above and beyond everyone else. God does win, but His victory is often not evident in the circumstances. Rather, it is in the lives of His servants who shine with the light of God's glory. Daniel is a witness to the glory of God in the midst of terrible circumstances. In the end, Daniel sees the fall of Babylon and the rise of a new kingdom. But, more than that, he sees the future day when God will conquer every kingdom and authority in heaven and on earth. What matters, then, is not how things appear to be right now but our resolve to faith and to faithfulness as those who seek to be a witness to the glory of God in the midst of whatever circumstances we find ourselves. If we live for the glory of God, God will meet us and give us success every step of the way!
