Shadows to Substance Conference (Day 2 Haps Addison) LIONS DEN TO EMPTY TOMB

The Great Commission and the Call to Marvel at Scripture

Well, hi. How are you guys? You guys having a blessed time? Awesome, man. I'm so honored to be amongst all you guys and all you big thinkers. And I was telling my wife yesterday, I go, I went out to lunch with the doctor yesterday.

So I'm just really excited, a little nervous, show me a little grace and stuff. But why don't we come before the Lord in prayer? Oh God, I tremble at Your word, for You are the great I am, and I'm the great I am not.

And Lord, I just ask now that You calm my spirit, Lord, and let Your words drip off my lips like honey. For the name of and the sake of Your precious Son, Jesus the Christ, Amen. So let me tell you guys a little something.

When I first came to know the Lord, about the second year in, I went into the types and shadows, and I was fascinated, fascinated. And what it reminded me of is when my son, when he was a little kid, alright, he was just a little tyke.

You know, I used to like bury treasure for him. He'd go out on like treasure hunts and stuff, and you know, he'd sit on my lap and I'd tell him how I was a longshoreman. And he was just fascinated, and he was just in awe, and he just like marveled at me.

And that's how I approached the Scriptures as a child. I think that's something we've lost, that we don't marvel at our God, and what He's done, and what He's doing, and what He will do. It's just, He just fascinates me, I mean just so much.

And one of the Scriptures that's just, really just, well one of the types and shadows that I came across was Daniel chapter 6. And when I came across that, has anybody ever seen that movie, what was it, what was the name of that movie?

I forget the name of the movie now, but there was this kid, he's reading a book, a never ending story. Remember he's up in the attic, alright, and he's got the blanket over him, and he's reading the Scriptures, and he's just fascinated.

Well that actually happened to me when I was reading Daniel 6. I was, we had no heater, and here I'm, I've got my blanket over me like this, and I'm diving into the Scriptures, and I was just taken back.

I was floored, absolutely floored. So let me turn there, this is my first time doing a manuscript, so this will be interesting. Yeah, let me get this all set up, come on, here we go. So all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.

Now I know you must be wondering what in the world, why in the world I started off this message with the Great Commission when our primary focus is on shadows and substance, but we'll come back to that later on.

Daniel’s Faithfulness and the Accusation Against Jesus

But now today's message is on the lion's den and the empty tomb. We will be exploring Daniel chapter 6, all 28 verses, and I know that's a lot, but let me tell you something, God is going to be glorified in all of this, because this is absolutely fascinating.

And again I think that we need to really come at this as a child and just marvel at our God. I mean there's gems and jewels in here that is just so rich, you know, and I'm not coming at this all theologically and all this type of stuff, that's for the Doc and Brayden right here.

But Brayden, he goes out there, man. But again, you know, I just, I find this absolutely fascinating and just laying a little foundation for you guys. I have a men's home where I get the mentally ill and those that are dying of cancer off the streets and they live with me.

And the same application that I follow, I mean the same pattern I followed when I first came to know Christ the second year there in my home as I'm discipling them. We go through the types and shadows and all that, and they had that same look my son did on their face when they marvel at their God.

And this is just so awesome. So if you guys can turn with me to Daniel chapter 6, we're going to springboard from there. I'm really going to conflate everything. We're just going to be preaching from Daniel chapter 6 and just reaching into the new and pulling it in and just letting God's word preach to us, not me.

Alright? So this is awesome. Everybody turn with me to Daniel chapter 6. Again, we're going to be reading from Daniel chapter 6, 1 through 28. And this is awesome. Daniel chapter 6, we're going to break this down systematically.

Six points we're going to be following to find the fulfillment in the New Testament passage and through our Lord and Jesus Christ and his ministry in the new and much, much more. So let's jump right in.

Daniel chapter 6, verse 1 through 5, it reads as, It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred and twenty satraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom, and over them three high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these satraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss.

Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other high officials and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. Then the high officials and the satraps sought to find a ground for the complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom.

But they couldn't find no ground to complain or any fault, because he was faithful, and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel, unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.

Now right about here when I was first going through this, something was clicking. You know, I'm going, where have I seen this before? And it just sent me off on this journey into Scripture. I've had, as I had the blanket over me, and I'm just like freezing cold, and I'm just going back and forth, just absolutely, just floored me as I'm going through this.

And so we have here, you know, Daniel, he went from revealing the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar to the interpretation of the handwriting in past chapters, interpreting the handwriting on the wall with Belshazzar, and now under King Darius, Daniel's gaining in stature.

And now these high officials and satraps must find complaint against him in connection with the law of his God. We find in the New Testament Gospels, Jesus and his ministry is gaining momentum, alright.

And as he is going from town to town performing signs and miracles, and even calling out the religious leaders such as the Pharisees and Sadducees, they must find fault with him according to the law of God.

In Luke, if you'd like to turn there, Luke chapter 22, verses 66 through 71, it reads as, and I just find this just absolutely fascinating, you know, I just, this leaves me in a state of awe. 66, when day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes, and they led him away to their council.

And they said, If you are the Christ, tell us. But he said to them, If I tell you, you will not believe. And if I ask you, you will not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.

So they all said, Are you the Son of God? Then he said to them, You say that I am. Then they said, What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips. Now this claim right here, this claim to be the Son of God, which means he is the same nature as God, to in fact be God, and it was, and this was blasphemy to the Jewish leaders, and demanded his death according to Leviticus 24, 15, which states, And speak to the people of Israel, saying, Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin.

And, you know, as I started going through this systematically and everything, and you just start going, you're seeing the types and shadows and the fulfillments and the substance, we're seeing the similarities between what's going on in the old and the new, and you just get taken back.

It's, I mean, I believe at one point, going through this for a whole day and stuff, I was like, literally hyperventilating. You know, I was just like, Wow, this is just awesome. Oh, great iPads, I tell you, man.

I should have done the paper, Jeff. I tell you, man. It's my first time doing an iPad thing. I'm sorry, guys. Show me some grace. I can't stand this thing. Man, let me tell you, I should have went to high school.

Yeah, not when you're 50. Now in Daniel chapter 6, verses 6 through 9, it gets really interesting. You start to see this unveiling, really, of what was to come. And I find this absolutely fascinating.

In 6 through 9, it reads as,. Then these high officials and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, O king Darius, live forever. All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction that whoever makes petition to any God or man for 30 days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.

Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it cannot be changed according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked. Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction.

It looks like everything is going according to plan for the enemies of Daniel. Now, they'll have Daniel right where they want him. For Daniel gives praise to his God three times a day, and in doing so a direct violation of the new law of the land.

Are you seeing this so far? You see, isn't this like, you're just seeing something unveiled. I can't wait for you guys to get the ending of this, because it's just, you just sit back. Am I right, Claude?

You just sit back and you're just like, wow, you know, our God. We were just singing it, you know. I mean, wow, man, I think it's just so awesome. In Luke 23, verses 1 through 5, if you'd like to turn there, you're going to see this really unfold.

It's absolutely amazing. 23, verses 1 through 5 reads,. Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.

And Pilate asked him, Are you the king of the Jews? And he, that's Jesus, answered him, You have said so. And Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, I have found no guilt in this man. But they were urgent, saying, He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all of Judea and Galilee, even in this place.

And this is just like, by this time, man, if I had a hat on right now, I'd be twisted back, because I'm just, I'm seeing this. You know, I'm like, you know, the Holy Spirit brings the scriptures back to remembrance.

And this is just so fun. You know, I, I love seeing people go through God's scriptures and seeing them everywhere. His whole story is all throughout scripture, you know. But here in Pilate's court, the Jewish elders asked Pontius Pilate to judge and condemn Jesus, accusing him of claiming to be the king of the Jews.

And such a claim would be considered treasonous for being a direct challenge to the Roman authorities. Such a claim could stir up a revolution against Caesar. And, you know, it's just, as we start going through this, you just start to see this, that everything written in the scriptures, everything written in the scriptures testifies of Jesus Christ, in Him and through Him.

Remember that, in Him and through Him. Now for time's sake, I'll be giving a brief summary on verses 10 through 15, as it's fulfillment in the New Testament also. So Daniel heard of the document, and had it been signed, that it had been signed by Darius.

And so he went to his house to use the upper chamber, with his windows open towards Jerusalem. Given thanks and praying, he made his petition and pleaded before God. But the trap was set, he was caught, and his enemies went before the king, Darius, and told him, the exiled Daniel pays no attention to you, O king, for the injunction he had signed.

This disturbed the king, and he set in his mind to deliver Daniel. I mean, he sat to deliver Daniel, and he labored until sundown to rescue him. But to no avail, Daniel is sentenced to the lion's den.

And just like Daniel, Jesus stands before Pontius Pilate. And Pontius Pilate found no fault with him, and labored to have him set free. But to no avail, Jesus is sentenced to death by crucifixion. And man, let me tell you, this is just so powerful as we're going through, you know, God's word right now.

And just again, you know, we come at this as a child, you know, just like we're coming before a holy God right here. You know, we don't, I think for a lot of us, we come at this, we go from infancy to maturity, and then we get to that mature state, and we forget everything that came before.

We don't really marvel at the simplicity of God, and how much He loves us, and how He's everywhere in here. And we go off into this theological way out there past Pluto. And I think that we just need to come at this with all humility, and be a student of humility, always be a student of humility, you know.

The Sealed Den and the Sealed Tomb

Daniel chapter 6 verses 1 through 17, again we're going at these six points right here that's absolutely fascinating. Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, may your God whom you serve continually deliver you.

And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his Lord's, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. And here we have Daniel's sentence, and it's sealed in the lion's den, and we know the lion's den represents death.

Now I got to this right here, and I remember coming to this passage, and I was like, where have I seen this before? Where have I seen this before? I mean, and I didn't know which, I didn't know if it was Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, you know, and I just, I kept reading all day long, and when I came across this next section right here, I was floored, floored.

I mean, from shadows to substance, I mean, wow. And seeing my guys at my house when they see this, it's just like little kids, they just marvel. Every morning they sit, we come out, we have Bible study, and when we go through our teaching session, when we start going through the second year of course, the shadows and substance, the typologies, Christophanies, and all this, they are just, I mean, it's just so awesome.

It's like looking into my little boy's eyes all over again. Matthew chapter 27, 62 through 66, and this is awesome. All right. I love this part, man. Yeah, I mean, I get excited just like a little kid when you get a whole bunch of candy in front of me.

I mean, this is just yum, yum, yum. I love it. This is awesome. I mean, we're glorifying God right now, you know, together, you know. That's awesome. Now, I find this absolutely fascinating. 62, the next day, that is, after the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, Sir, we remember how the imposter said, while he was still alive, after three days he will rise.

Therefore, order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people he has risen from the dead. Oh, he has. And the last fraud will be worse than the first.

Pilate said to them, you have a guard of soldiers. Go make it as secure as you can. So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard. This is just awesome, man, you know.

I mean, God's cool, man. The body of Jesus was laid in Joseph of Arimathea's own tomb, a new one, in which no man had been laid. And this was cut out of a rock with the sealing of the tomb. Man, dude, from this point on, let me tell you guys, I was just, I had to get up and I was doing the potty dance in my seat.

I mean, I was so excited. I mean, I don't know about you guys, but I'm like, I'm 50 years old. I came to know Christ when I was in my forties. You know, I came out of addiction and everything. And so, not a learning man or anything like that, but what I was seeing, I was, I had to take a step back and go, is this you?

Am I finding you here? And he was found, let me tell you. Now I know this is a lot to consume right now, but bear with me and we'll get through this together because it's awesome. Daniel chapter six, verses 19 through 23, then a break of day, this is awesome, then the break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions.

As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you serve continually been able to deliver you from the lions?

Then Daniel said to the king, O king, live forever. My God sent his angel and shut the lion's mouth. And they have not harmed me because I was found blameless before him and also before you. I mean, there's so much in here that we can pull out all in all of this right here.

I mean, it's so much, but you know, just can't do it all in one day or one hour or 30 minutes, whatever. Then the king, 23, then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den.

I just love that part. So Daniel was taken up out of the den and no kind of harm was found on him because he had trusted in his God. Here, Daniel's not just saved from death, but he's vindicated by God.

That's awesome, huh? Oh, it gets even better, man. I can read this a hundred times and still have this smile. And I don't care. I got no front teeth and I don't care if anybody sees because I'm that excited.

All right. I am that excited. Matthew 28, verses one through six. This is, this is meat and potatoes right here. You don't need any utensils. Just eat it all with your hands. Now, after the Sabbath, 28, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

Behold, there was a great earthquake for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven. He came and he rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow.

And for the fear of him, he, the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the woman, do not be afraid, for I know the one that you seek, Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here for he is risen.

Tremble at your word. Come see the place where he lay. He is risen. He is risen indeed. Huh? I mean, for an old wretch like me, that just means so much. Raised on the third day, vindicated by the father, with the resurrection so powerful, others rose with him.

Amen. Amen. Yeah, that's exactly right. That through his death and resurrection from the tomb, Jesus claimed the keys of death and Hades for himself. You know, I had a, it just gets me every time, man.

It never gets old. You know, my wife and I, we had a ministry one time with, for the hearing impaired, and we'd have a person up here that was signed, and they'd come in all disfigured and couldn't hear, and we had this young man sitting right in front of us this one time, and he barely even spoke, and we were talking about how Jesus is the resurrection, and we were, then we went and we were talking about the resurrection, and all of a sudden you see his hand go up.

Remember, honey? His hand went up, and everybody was on the edge of their seats, and he said, he signed it, and we're all like waiting for him to sign it, and he goes, are you telling me at the resurrection I'll be able to see?

And we're like, yes, yes, yes. Amen on that, huh? Just love that. Daniel chapter 6 verses 24, verse 24, excuse me. And the king commanded, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of the lions, they, their children, and their wives.

And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces. So, I mean, do we find this in the New Testament? Oh yeah. Oh yeah, we do. And let me tell you, this is where it gets, Matthew chapter 27, 24 through 25, it reads as follows.

So when Pilate saw the lions, all that he was gaining nothing, but rather, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I'm innocent of this man's blood, see it, see to it yourselves.

And all the people answered, his blood be on us and our children. And also in Luke chapter 23, 28 through 31, this is a, this is a, this is a Christ on the way to Calvary. But turning to them, Jesus said, daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

For behold, the days are coming when they will say, blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed. They, they will begin to say to the mountains, fall on us, and the hills cover us.

And we know this for a historic, it's a historic fact right here within that generation in 70 AD, the very hand, which is Rome, that the very hand the accusers used, that's Rome, of Christ used to crucify Him.

They came back and destroyed them, they, their wives, and their children. I found that absolutely fascinating right there. But the story continues. I mean there's so much more right here that, it's just so awesome when we go back and forth like that.

It's just so, it's just so God, He just amazes me. His word absolutely amazes me. In closing, this final section, point six in Daniel chapter six, and verses 25 through 27, absolutely amazing right here.

Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, languages that dwell in all the earth, peace be multiplied to you. I make a decree that in all my royal domain, I mean dominion, people are to tremble in fear before God, the God of Daniel, for He is the living God, enduring forever in forever.

His kingdom shall never be destroyed. His dominion shall be to the end. He delivers and rescues. He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. He who has saved Daniel from the powers of the line.

Brothers and sisters, we see here the gospels going forth to all the nations, all the peoples, languages that dwell in all the earth, the gospel of peace. For He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords.

He rules and reigns forever. Whose kingdom shall never be destroyed. He delivers us from the lion's mouth. He rescues us from every evil attack. Through Him the blind see, receive their sight, and the lame walk.

Lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. For on the third day He rose from the grave, conquering death, and He ascended and is seated at the right hand of the Father, where He intercedes for us night and day.

The Gospel Written on the Heart and the Fullness of Christ’s Work

Now, if everybody can turn with me to 2nd Corinthians, chapter 2, chapter 2 verses 2 through 3. You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.

Not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of the human heart. And we are those living epistles that carry the gospel of Jesus Christ within us. To go to all nations and preach the gospel to all of creation, all of creation.

The gospel that the infinite took on finite. The Word became flesh. God became flesh. He was born of a virgin. He was born of a virgin. He was born in Bethlehem. He came and He lived a sinless life, a life that you and I can never live.

He came to fulfill the law, something you and I can never do. He suffered under Pontius Pilate. The very thorns that were placed on His head came from the first Adam as He had to work by the thorns and the thistles, by the sweat of His brow.

Now that crown has been placed on the brow of Christ. He bore our death and He took the very wrath of God upon Himself. He died and He resurrected three days later with a resurrection so powerful again others rose with Him.

And now He's ascended and is seated at the right hand of the Father and He's interceding for us night and day. And getting back, guys, getting back to where I first opened up. Coming back to this, this closing statement right here.

This is why we proclaim the gospel to all of creation. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Christ. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that He has commanded you.

And behold I am with you until the end of the age. And we go out there not only that Christ has commanded us to, but guys there's people out there written in the book of life and they don't even know it yet.

Heavenly Father Lord we come before You Lord just awe. You're just so holy and we just love You so much Lord. And I just ask Lord that You give us that boldness to proclaim Your good news Lord as we go and see You throughout all the scriptures, that these scriptures should encourage us to encourage others and build others up to go and do the same.

So I thank You Lord for hearing our prayers as You always do. I thank You and I praise You and hallowed be Thy name. For the name of and the sake of Your precious Son Jesus Christ. Amen.