Knowledge Acquiring Knowledge

Knowledge

Acquiring Knowledge 

He (God) gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to the discerning. Daniel 2:21

You have to be wise to get wisdom

You have to be discerning

(already have understanding, knowledge)

to get knowledge

The point is you can’t play dumb

Even though you are

Imagine being in the shoes of Daniel.

Daniel got a knock on the door and was told

he was going to be arrested and executed.

The reason…

 He is considered a wise man and the

wise men angered King Nebuchadnezzar.

King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream but would

not tell the wise men what the dream was and

demanded they tell him the dream and interrupt it.

 

The wise men told the king it is impossible

no one can tell him what he dreamed.

Daniel asked his friends to pray and God

gave Daniel the dream and interruption.

Daniel made a remarkable statement

after getting the answer from God…

He gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to the discerning.

You have to be wise to get wisdom.

You have to be discerning

(already have understanding, knowledge)

to get knowledge.

The point is you can’t play dumb…

Even though you are.

Daniel knew the same thing the other wise men knew…

“Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter,

 magician or diviner can explain to the

king the mystery he has asked about,”

Daniel realized he did not know the answer.

What Daniel did know was God does have the answer.

Like the old saying…

 “It is not what you know but Who you know.”

Daniel realized you have to be wise to get wisdom

and you have to have knowledge to get knowledge.

A wise person is not insecure

about what they don’t know…

 When the wise person

trusts on God’s wisdom.

A knowledgeable person is not insecure

when he does not know the answer…

 

When that knowledgeable person

knows the God of all knowledge.

Daniel took nothing and made it something.

The purpose of the church is to show the

manifold wisdom of God to the world. Ephesians 3:10

The purpose of every believer is to be like Daniel.

Don’t play dumb.

You know where the answers are.

When you see a problem…

When no one knows what to do…

Seek God who reveals wisdom to the

wise and knowledge to the discerning.

Don’t feel helpless and hopeless like

the wise of this world who need to hear

the dream so they can give their opinion.

 

Get your knowledge from the One

who created the heavens and the earth.

Get your knowledge and wisdom from

God and give Him the credit for it.

Remember this…

 Daniel just asked God in prayer.

James says…

“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives

generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

James 1:5 NIV

The best way to get wisdom and

knowledge is to seek it every day.

Make it a practice and when the Nebuchadnezzar

demands come you will be ready and confident.

You know the One who gives

the dreams and the interruptions.  

Scripture Reading

Daniel 2:1-28 NIV

2 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. 2 So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, "I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means."

4 Then the astrologers answered the king in Aramaic,"

O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it."

5 The king replied to the astrologers, "This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble…

10 The astrologers answered the king, "There is not a man on earth who can do what the king asks! No king, however great and mighty, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or astrologer. 11 What the king asks is too difficult. No one can reveal it to the king except the gods, and they do not live among men."

12 This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. 13 So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death.

14 When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. 15 He asked the king's officer, "Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?" Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. 16 At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.

17 Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 18 He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven 20 and said:

"Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;

wisdom and power are his.

21 He changes times and seasons;

he sets up kings and deposes them.

He gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to the discerning.

22 He reveals deep and hidden things;

he knows what lies in darkness,

and light dwells with him.

23 I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers:

You have given me wisdom and power,

you have made known to me what we asked of you,

you have made known to us the dream of the king."

24 Then Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to execute the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, "Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him."

25 Arioch took Daniel to the king at once and said, "I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can tell the king what his dream means."

26 The king asked Daniel (also called Belteshazzar), "Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?"

27 Daniel replied, "No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come. Your dream and the visions that passed through your mind as you lay on your bed are these: