God distinguishes his kingdom from counterfeit ones.

Daniel 12:3, “Those who have wisdom will shine like the bright expanse of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever”.

When it comes to living in a hostile culture, many Christians choose either assimilation or separation.

This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles…: “Build houses (in Babylon) and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce. Have sons and daughters… Multiply there; do not decrease. Seek the wellbeing of the city to which I have deported you. Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it thrives, you will thrive.” –Jeremiah 29:4–7

there is a third option: transformation.

Daniel 2:1 In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled him, and sleep deserted him. 2 So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, mediums, sorcerers, and Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. When they came and stood before the king, 3 he said to them, “I have had a dream and am anxious to understand it.”

4 “May the king live forever. Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.”

9 “I don’t trust you.

Prove you have the power of God by telling me first what the dream WAS, and

then I’ll know that you also have the power to interpret it.”

10 The Chaldeans answered the king, “No one on earth can make known what the king requests… And no king, great or small, has ever asked anything like this of any medium. 11 What the king is asking is so difficult that no one can make it known to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.” 12 Because of this, the king became violently angry and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon.

17 Then Daniel went to his house and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (that’s S, M, A by their Hebrew names) about the matter, 18 urging them to ask the God of the heavens for mercy concerning this mystery, so Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of Babylon’s wise men. 19 The mystery was then revealed to Daniel in a vision at night, and Daniel praised the God of the heavens 20 and declared: May the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to him 21 He changes the times and seasons; he removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. 22 He reveals the deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with him.

26 The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to tell me the dream I had and its interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, medium, magician, or diviner is able to make known to the king the mystery he asked about. 28 But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries…

“But there is a God in heaven”?

God validated the writings of the Apostles through signs and wonders:

“The gospel was declared to us at first by the Lord (Jesus), and then it was attested to us by those who heard him, God bearing witness with them through signs and wonders and various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit.” Hebrews 2:3

“My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power. 1 Cor 2:4

“The secrets of his heart will be revealed, and as a result he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, ‘God is really among you.’”

“And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers... he is God.” 1 Kings 18:24

“If any man is in Christ…”

The point: God intends to make you shine in Babylon;

to distinguish the truth of his message from the counterfeits,

by supernatural outpourings of power.

Daniel 2:34 As you were watching, a stone broke off without a hand touching it, struck the statue on its feet and crushed them. 35 Then the iron, the fired clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were shattered and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

44 “The great God has told the king what will happen in the future… In the days of those kings, the God of the heavens will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed… It will crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself endure forever.”

“...they became like chaff from the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, and not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.”