Dream Team
Series: Like you and me | Bible text: Daniel 9:18b-19
What we can learn from Daniel and his dream team for our everyday life – in good and difficult times!
We meet the people of God today at a moment when they could ask themselves: Is this the end of the people of God: we have lost our land, we are defeated by a foreign power; the temple, our sanctuary, is robbed and destroyed; i.e. end of worship! Their last kings led the people to spiritual and historical ruin. And the mighty Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, who extended his empire from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf, takes over Israel. In various stages he leads whole sections of God’s people into exile in Babylon. The Israelites could have asked themselves, in the words of the Psalm poet Asaph: «Will the Lord cast off his people forever? Is his goodness gone for ever and ever? Has God then forgotten to be merciful and gracious?» (from Psalm 77:8–10 NGÜ) The first deportation takes place in 605 BC; it concerns the gifted upper class of the country. Once in Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar orders the chief court official to select young men from the Israelites who are suitable for service in the king’s palace. The criteria were: The men must be in good health, have no physical defects; must be good-looking, have an extensive education and be quick on the uptake. The task of the chief court official was to prepare these men for their service in the royal court for three years; this included learning the language and script of the Babylonians. After this time, Nebuchadnezzar selected four men from the group of those trained to be his advisors. From all the interviews, Nebuchadnezzar chose four Judeans, namely: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. The chief court official then gave them Babylonian names: Belchazar, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, but I’ll stick with their previous names.
A dream team in a godless environment
With them, Nebuchadnezzar really got a dream team. These four were extremely blessed by God. When the king needed insight and understanding, he turned to these men. We read in Daniel 1 that God gave the four young men extraordinary wisdom and knowledge; in ranking, Nebuchadnezzar soon rated them ten times (!) better than his wisest men! And Daniel could also interpret visions and dreams of every kind.
As prisoners, they could have behaved quite differently according to the motto: «Let’s enjoy this properly now: the royal food and the delicious wine. Nebuchadnezzar will surely drink a wonderful Grand Cru from France or a Riserva Superiore from Italy! And we don’t take our job too seriously! We don’t want to learn this language and its script! We don’t want a three-year apprenticeship, we want to go back to our homeland as soon as possible?!»
But these four men behaved quite differently:
- They asked the chief court official if they could only eat vegetables and drink water instead of wine. And he allowed them.
- They held fast to their God and their faith and did not quarrel with God and their fate.
- They put their all into it and did their best in this very different world of Babylon.
And what was the result? A pre-eminent position in the royal court! To sum up: they experienced God’s blessing in an impressive way. Like you and me? Let us ask ourselves now! Maybe you experience this going into another world every day when you go to your workplace, to your apprenticeship or to school, to study! Maybe you have trouble with your job. You are sick of it. You are no longer motivated. Or your place of residence is like Babylon for you and you want to get up and leave. Maybe you are in a major crisis at the moment. You feel out of place and trapped in your everyday life. From the trapped, deported dream team in Babylon, we can remember the following:
- Cling to your God in your crisis and consciously take God with you into your everyday life!
- Do not throw away your faith!
- Don’t stay alone with your worries, share them openly with your friends. Talk!
- Do your best in spite of everything, face the challenges! It’s worth it!
Never forget, you too are richly blessed for yourself and for others! The dream team around Daniel had to go through several difficult times! I also think of those stories when they were thrown into the furnace or Daniel into the lion’s den… All to be read in the book of Daniel!
From dream team to nightmare team
Nightmares can also happen in a dream team! Here’s what happened to Daniel and his team: Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that frightens him so much that he wakes up. The next morning he calls all his wise men, magicians and soothsayers together to interpret the dream for him. But: Nebuchadnezzar is not ready to tell the dream!!! Apparently, as is expressed in the narrative, the king has had bad experiences with his soothsayers and wise men, who often only present lies and deception. Now Nebuchadnezzar is suddenly convinced that only the one who is given not only the interpretation but also the dream can present a genuine dream interpretation. The wise men complain that the king is asking too much, that no king in this world has ever asked that of his wise men. In fact, no human being could fulfil it. Only gods can do that, but they don’t live with mortal men, they said! But Nebuchadnezzar threatens to kill them all if no one complies with his demand. Moreover, he would turn their homes into heaps of rubble.
Daniel goes straight to Nebuchadnezzar and asks for an extension of time so that he can describe and interpret the dream. Then he hurries back to his friends: «Guys, we have to pray, otherwise we will die along with everyone else. They pray fervently for God’s mercy to reveal this secret to them. Indeed, in the middle of the night, Daniel has a vision of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, complete with interpretation! Before Daniel goes to the king the next morning, the dream team takes time for praise! Daniel’s song of praise is so beautiful, I want to read it to you: «Praise be to the name of God, now and forever! To God alone belong power and wisdom. He is the Lord of time and determines what happens when; he deposes kings and leaves their thrones to others. To the wise he gives their wisdom and to the wise their understanding! He reveals the most unfathomable secrets and knows what is hidden in the dark, for he himself is surrounded by light. Yes, I praise and extol you, O God of my forefathers! For you have given me wisdom and strength. You have heard our prayers and revealed to me the dream of the king!» (Daniel 2:20–23 Hfa) Then before the king Daniel first speaks plainly about God and himself: «The secret which the king asks cannot be uncovered by any single wise man, sorcerer, sign interpreter or soothsayer. But there is a God in heaven who brings what is hidden to light» (Daniel 2:27–28a NL). «The fact that I know the secret of your dream is not because I am cleverer than all other living people.» (Daniel 2:29 NL). To Nebuchadnezzar’s astonishment, Daniel is able to describe the dream to him and also the interpretation. Daniel is richly endowed and is appointed prince over all Babylon and chief over all the wise men in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar appoints his friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as rulers over three districts of Babylon. What can we take away from the nightmare experience of the Dream Team?
- We need a dream team around us in good times and hard times! You don’t need a bunny, a dog, a guinea pig or a parrot around you. They’re nice too, but you need people around you who you can pat on the back or hug. You don’t need to Whatsapp’l, tweet or instagram. You don’t need a digital crowd around you, but you do need a small group of people around you with whom you can share everything, including your faith. It doesn’t matter if it’s an interest group or a small group – a team with whom we can share joys and sorrows; with whom we can carry burdens, share nightmares, walk through dark valleys together.
- We need people around us with whom we can pray, like Daniel and his three friends.
- When you can’t do it anymore and you’re like a donkey on a mountain, you need someone to remind you and hold you: «But there is a God in heaven who can…»
It’s easy, when you’re well, to sing «I’m happy for you, I’m happy for you, I’m happy for you. Your name is wonderful, your name makes miracles come true…» What do you do when this song makes you lose your voice? And it cries out inside you: «I don’t know any more…! I don’t know what’s up and what’s down…! I don’t know what’s going on… I’m close to despair…» Do you have a dream team around you? Take advantage of counselling, mentoring, coaching or pastoral care. The «God can» flyer with the necessary contact is available! Remember: At the beginning of the sermon we asked ourselves: Did God say goodbye to history together with his people? With the biblical book of Daniel we have to answer: No, on the contrary! God remained with his people, even without a temple! God has bound himself to a geographical place. He can prove himself powerful in a place of idolatry and occultism! God proves his Greatness before the greatest worldly ruler of that time: Nebuchadnezzar! He shows himself in a way that makes all gods and idols teeny-weeny! So that Nebuchadnezzar confesses before Daniel: «Truly, your God is a God above all that rank and name!»
Daniel – like you and me!
Say: I do not… but there is a God in heaven who can! He wants to reveal himself to his followers – his people and his children! When his people are persecuted and cast out, God remains with them! He does not abandon his people! Today in the worldwide persecution of Christians, many places of worship are destroyed and attacks are made on Christian gatherings. But Jesus continues. He cannot be stopped as he builds his kingdom! Let us not forget what Jesus said: «…I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it». (Matthew 16:18 Lu). I am glad that God has led me to this sermon text, where first thing tomorrow we will enter into a «Ufschtoh week» start; now that the «God can» – Flyers are available in the foyer; at this time we are inviting everyone to join a small group again. Perhaps a dream team is at your feet!
Possible questions for the small groups
Read the Bible text: Daniel 9:18b-19
- How would you have behaved as a prisoner in a completely foreign country?
- How did Daniel and his friends manage to get involved in such a positive way?
- Do you have any Bible passages that come to mind that we could use as a guide in such a case?
- What place in your life is Babylon for you? How can it become Bethel («the place where God dwells»)?
- God can – tell each other about almost impossible answers to prayer! Or list biblical miracles!
- Tell about your dream teams and pray each other into dream teams!
