This is the fourth and last message in the sermon series for March 2017 at Abundant Life Fellowship in Chesapeake, VA. The Lord gave me great grace to prepare and give this message. Some of the best of what I have learned and lived in the last 70 years is in this message on this topic. I hope it gives you insight into how an all-powerful God sees the suffering of His people.

1. Suffering & a Sovereign God
How Do They Co-Exist?
The Book of Daniel Speaks to this Question

2. Responding to Pain & Suffering
This March series so far:
1—There Can be Gain in
Pain
2—God is Totally With Us
in Our Pain
3—Job showed us the
sinful pride of thinking we
can can accuse God of
wrong because of suffering.

3. Is This Syllogism True?
God is all -powerful
God is all-good
But suffering exists
Therefore, God is either not
all-good or not all-powerful
The Book of Daniel shows
us a clear answer.

4. The Book of Daniel
Sir Isaac Newton wrote Observations
on the Prophecies of Daniel and the
Apocalypse of St. John (published in
1733), in which he stated:
"Daniel was in the greatest
credit amongst the Jews…
And to reject his prophecies,
is to reject the Christian
religion. For this religion is
founded upon his prophecy
concerning the Messiah."

7. The Four Beasts/Kings of Daniel Seven

12. Great Site for Bible Summaries: http://www.shmoop.com/

13. The Book of Daniel
The life and visions of Daniel, a Jew exiled at Babylon as part of
God’s punishment on all Jews for their rebellion against God.
(586-538 BC)
Book of Lamentations describes the chaos & pain in Jerusalem
after being conquered by these same Babylonians in 586 BC.
The Book of Habbakuk tells of God’s plans to punish His beloved
Jews by using the Babylonian army to conquer them.
Chapters 7-12 like Book of Revelation: God’s predestined
sovereignty in the midst of prophesied chaos.
Jesus quoted from Daniel in Matt. 24:15

14. The Book of Daniel
Predicts the victory of “A son of Man” and the
Kingdom of God over all kingdoms. ( Dan. 7:13-14)
Rev. 11:15 echoes: ”The kingdom of the world has
become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,
and He will reign for ever and ever.” (Handel’s
Messiah)
God’s people win in the end: “But the holy people of
the Most High will receive the kingdom and will
possess it forever--yes, for ever and ever.’(Dan. 7:18, 27)

15. The Book of Daniel Themes
Main Theme: “…the Most High is sovereign
over all kingdoms on earth..” (Dan 4:17)
Prophecies of future world history, an Anti-
Christ figure and coming of Jesus to rescue
God’s people will suffer under evil
kingdoms but God will rescue them in
eternity.

16. Sovereign & Inscrutable
2:37: God puts cruel pagan king over all
nations. Uses him to conquer Israel.
"Wise leaders will give instruction to many,
but these teachers will die by fire and
sword, or they will be jailed and
robbed.” (11:33)

17. Sovereign & Inscrutable
7:21: The 4th beast’s “horn” wages war on the
saints ands overpowers them
7:25: The saints will be worn down
Dan. 11:35: "Some of those who have insight
will fall, in order to refine, purge and make
them pure until the end time; because it is
still to come at the appointed time.”

18. The Inscrutable God
“All the people of the earth are nothing
compared to him. He does as he pleases
among the angels of heaven and among the
people of the earth. No one can stop him or
say to him, 'What do you mean by doing
these things?’ “ (Dan.4:35)

19. The Inscrutable God
O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and
knowledge of God! How unsearchable His
judgments, and untraceable His ways! “Who has
known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His
counselor?”… (Rom. 11:33)
But who are you, a human being, to talk back to
God? "Shall what is formed say to the one who
formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?’" (Rom.
9:20)

20. When We KnowHis Sovereignty
"By smooth words he (evil king) will turn to
godlessness those who act wickedly toward the
covenant, but the people who know [trust} their
God will display strength and take action.” (11:32)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not
depend on your own understanding. Seek his will
in all you do, and he will show you which path to
take.” (Prov. 3:5-6)

21. Not Meant to Know
It is the glory of God to conceal a
matter.” (Prov. 25:2)
Bible speaks of God’s mysteries several times
in the NT.
After the last vision: “Then I, Daniel, was
exhausted and sick for days.” (8:27)

22. Trusting God’s Goodness
✤ Elihu in Book of Job: God allows suffering so “That He {God}
may turn man aside from his deed, and cut off pride from
man, and keep back his soul from the Pit.” (33:17)
✤ God uses pain to refine, heal and to save righteous people
from the residue of pride and sin in their souls
✤ Job had to repent because he accused God of not being just
toward him. His own reasoning & logic was his
pride.

23. Conclusion
God’s goal to is not to fully protect us from suffering
in this life but to go with us “through the valley of
shadow of death” to prepare us for ruling and
reigning with Jesus in the Kingdom of God in heaven.
“For this light momentary affliction is preparing
for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all
comparison…for the things that are seen are
transient, but the things that are unseen are
eternal.” (2 For. 4:17-18)

24. ‘Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you,
for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with
My righteous right hand.’
Is. 41:10