72. Beginner Bible Course: The story of Daniel

E72  The simple Bible overview of…THE STORY OF DANIEL

Hey, we're coming down the stretch...

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...in the old Testament. Stret, we've got three historical books, three minor profits, and one major profit left. We're now going to look at the last major profit Daniel throughout this old Testament overview. I've mentioned the number of top 10 Sunday school stories. I think I have two, maybe three left. I'm going to use them all up in the book of Daniel historically Daniel is a young man carried off to Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem in Judah, Daniel means God is my judge. We're pretty sure he was a Royal blood in the prophecy of Isaiah to Hezekiah. When Hezekiah asked for 15 more years of life and then showed the people from Babylon and all of his treasures, Isaiah said, he'll carry off your descendants to Babylon.

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It's pretty likely Daniel was one of those descendants of Hezekiah. You'll also, remember Isaiah said to Hezekiah, he'll make them Unix in his palace. I explained to my students a uniq is someone who cannot make a baby. And that it was a King's way of protecting his harem from his servants. There is no mention of a wife in the story of Daniel. We're also told he was a youth. When he was taken Nebuchadnezzar was a shrewd politician. He would take certain captives, give them preferential treatment and try to win them over. Clearly, this is what happened to Daniel. We're also introduced to three of Daniel's close companions, Hannah Naya, Michel, and Azariah never <inaudible> has certain youth picked out of these.

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Judy and captives were given this criteria physically. They were to be without defect and good looking by the way that means pleasing in appearance. They were to be intelligent, both teachable and wise, and they were to have the ability to serve in the King's court. In other words, to be socially skilled, I suggest to my students, that's a great template for their own life. Keep yourself physically fit, be teachable and growing to be sharper, mentally and develop social graces. So you can be appropriate in any situation. Overall. These were some sharp teenage and captives, as part of winning them over, never can answer then did several other things for them.

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He taught them the keldi and language. He put them on the Babylonian diet. He gave them the best education they had to offer, and he gave them new names. Let's talk about those names in the case of Daniel and his three friends, each of them had something about the God of Israel in their name. We've learned Daniel was God is my judge. They're new names. Babylonian names are each related to some false God in Babylon my name Timothy <inaudible> means to honor God. This would be like having my changed to honor Zeus. I mean, names are pretty big deals.

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The reaction of Daniel and his three friends to the new language, the new education, the new diet and their new names is very interesting. Which do you think could be the most destructive? Having your name changed to a pagan name, having your head filled with pagan knowledge, having your mother tongue, the language, the scriptures were written in nudged over by a new language or a new diet. In the case of Daniel and his four friends, they pushed back on of all things, the new diet. So why the diet thing, why not eat the King's food and wine? The text tells us Daniel purposed in his heart. He would not defile himself with the King's food.

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God had made specific commands about what his people were to eat in the old Testament law specifically in Leviticus. That was the standard Daniel in his three friends had to go on. God had never given specific prohibitions against things like languages, names, or education, but he had given them a specific diet. As you read this story, look at the courtesy and wisdom with which Daniel and his three friends handled this situation. They asked for a special diet God grants favor to their steward. Who's caring for them so that he will give it a try. And after a period of testing, they Excel, it is clear to the steward that God has favor on.

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These young men were told when these young men get to exam time, when they're reviewed by the King for their progress, they're found to be 10 times better than any of the other captives. We're also told like Joseph Daniel had a unique ability to understand visions and dreams that would soon come in very handy in chapter two, King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream. Apparently when he wakes up in the morning, he forgets what the dream was though. He's extremely troubled by it. He calls in all of his keldi and wise guys to help him with the dream. I had this amazing dream. You tell me what it was and what it means.

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And they said, great King. You tell us the dream. We'll give you the interpretation. Nebuchadnezzar says not happening. You tell me both the dream and the interpretation. They look at him, shake their heads and go, dude, what do we look like? Mind readers. We're interpreters. Give us the dream. And we'll interpret it. Never connoisseur is deeply troubled. Apparently he can't pull the dream up. So in a rage, he orders all the wise men of Babylon to be executed. When you're the most powerful King of the world, you can do that sort of thing. Unfortunately, Daniel in his three friends were wise men and training his execution order.

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Also blanketed them. When Daniel hears about the execution order, he asks his steward. If he can have a little time, he believes that he may be able to recall and interpret the King's dream immediately, Daniel and his three friends go to prayer. They hit their knees and ask God for the dream. And the interpretation God gives. Daniel the same dream that night. And the next morning he's brought before the King Daniel makes it clear. The wise men are right. Nobody, but God could do what you ask. But I know that God Daniel then explains a dream of a statue, 90 feet tall and nine feet wide. It reminds me of the Barbie dolls back when I was a kid super tall and scary skinny.

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I'll let you read about that statute. The four parts, what they were made of and what happened to it. What happens to Daniel is Nebuchadnezzar almost immediately makes him a high ranking official in his kingdom. Very similar to what Pharaoh did to Joseph back in the book of Genesis Daniel is missing in Daniel chapter three, this now high ranking Babylonian official perhaps was out on Nebuchadnezzar business. We get a story about his three friends, perhaps that stature dream went to Nebuchadnezzar his head because he builds this tall skinny monument to himself and sets it out on the plain of dura. And Babylon, I mean, it's the exact same dimensions on a special dedication day.

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Every citizen is commanded to bow low before this statue, when the band is struck up, that's exactly what happens except for there's three individuals who punctuate the landscape, Hannah Naya, Michelle, and as Ariah, the three captives from Judah in wise, man training school. Are you ready for that top 10 Sunday school story yet Nebuchadnezzar hears about this and calls them in before him, gentlemen, you must have not gotten my executive order. So I'm going to give you a second chance. I'm going to get a little band in here, strike it up. And you can just fall down in the direction of that statue out there in the plain of dura.

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And just so you know, it's at stake here. You'll be thrown into a fiery furnace. If you don't, I'm guessing this is a God of Judah thing, but I want to suggest to you. There's no God out there that can deliver you from my hand. Are we clear on all this? Their response is this King Nebuchadnezzar. Our God is able to deliver us from your fiery furnace, but even if he should choose to not do so, we'll never bow the knee to that statue or serve your guides. Nebuchadnezzar is not used to hearing the word. No. He orders the furnace to be bellowed seven times hotter than normal. And then he binds these three Judean captives in ropes.

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Men carry them to the pit and toss them into the fire at the opening to the furnace, the men carrying them catch on fire and are burned to death. Then stunned Nebuchadnezzar looks into the furnace. They're standing in the furnace are these three young Judean captives and a fourth person Nebuchadnezzar cries out. Wasn't it. Three guys. We threw bound into the midst of the fire. Look, I see four loosed and walking around in the middle of the fire. And one of these is like the appearance of a God never can as her summons them out of the fire. And when they come out, we're told there wasn't even the smell of smoke on their clothing.

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Nebuchadnezzar has a aha wake up religious moment. He commands that going forward. Anyone who speaks against the God of these three Judean captives will be torn limb from limb and their houses made a rubbish shape. He then elevates these three colleagues of Daniel to a higher place and his administration in chapter four, we learned that being the most powerful ruler on earth comes with pitfalls. And the biggest one is usually pride in chapter four. Nebuchadnezzar has another dream. He calls his dream guide. Daniel in to interpret it. Daniel here's the dream and is very grieved in his heart. He knows it's about prideful Nebuchadnezzar.

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He gives Nebuchadnezzar the interpretation, which is a warning from God, stop being prideful, or you'll be cut down and put in your place about a year after this dream, we're told Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the walls of his amazing palace, perhaps just to himself. He sys, is this not? Babylon the great that I built with the power of my hands and for the glory of my majesty immediately, a voice comes from heaven saying Nebuchadnezzar you're toast for the next seven years, Nebuchadnezzar had a mental illness. Look it up. It's called Bo anthropy. It's a person's mind derailing.

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So they think they're an animal and they act accordingly. He thinks he's a cow, but after seven years, God gives him enough sanity that he humbles himself cries out to God. Chapter four, verse 37 is a testimony of restored King Nebuchadnezzar. He says this now I Nebuchadnezzar praise exalt, and honor. The King of heaven for all of his works are true. And his ways are just, and he is able to humble those who walk in pride. Wow. In chapter five, we fast forward. Daniel's now in his late seventies, several Babylonian Kings have come and gone mostly with assassination and intrigue.

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Now the King is belches are the belches are one night at a Royal party calls for the vessels of the Judean and temple to be brought in. Apparently the chalices of gold. He fills them up with booze and starts passing them around to his friends, wives and concubines. As they're making a toast, suddenly a human hand detached from the arm appears and starts writing words on the wall of the palace. Apparently someone remembered Daniel the dream interpreter for Nebuchadnezzar Daniels brought in. It was essentially three words. Daniel tells him the first word means your days are numbered.

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The second you've been weighed in the balances and found to be lightweight. The third God is giving your kingdom to the Medes and the Persians that very night, Darius, the Mede, along with the Persians diverted the Euphrates river, and they literally walked into four to five Babylon under the river Gates, Belshazzar was killed and in one night Babylon was done. Darius, the Mede then made Daniel one of his top officials, which brings us to our last Sunday school story. Daniel in the lion's den. Now mind you, this is 80 year old. Daniel a Judean captive in the nation of Babylon taken over by the Medes and Persians and made the third highest in the cabinet would cause a lot of other officials who'd been working their way up the company ladder to get upset.

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The rest of the Mito Persian leaders have very jealous of him. So they decided to take him out. Unfortunately, they can't find any skeletons in Daniel's closet. The man has uncompromising integrity and has had it for over six decades. They realize the only way they can get them is if somehow they can find a way to trap him in his fidelity to his God. So they had to apply to get Darius to sign an order. No one in the kingdom can make a petition or prayer to any manner of God, other than Darius for 30 days. Not sure what Darius was thinking, but he signed the order. And in medio, Persia, once an edict was signed by the King, it could not be rescinded.

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When Daniel hears about this edict, he continues to do what he's always done. Three times a day. He goes to his prayer room, faced Jerusalem and pray to his God. The God of Israel. Of course the officials immediately caught them in the act and dragged him to Darius for trial. Darius immediately knows he's been had, this is one of his best men. And he's been painted into a corner he's trapped. We're told he spends the entire night trying to figure out how to get Daniel off the hook. But these same officials remind him you're trapped King. It's the law of the Medes and the Persians. It can't be rescinded. The penalty attached to this 30 day moratorium on prayer was to be thrown into the lion's den.

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Darius, finally, caves, but tells Daniel this, your God Daniel whom you continually serve. He'll be able to deliver you. That's amazing. And God does deliver Daniel. The lion's den was a pit. These lions were kept at near starvation. Daniel's thrown down among these kitties. And Darius goes back to the palace. We're told he spent a sleepless night fasting for Daniel at Dawn's first light. He hurt his back to the lion's den and calls into the pit. Daniel has your God whom you continually served, been able to deliver you from the lions from the pity hears Daniel's voice.

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Oh King live forever. An angel came and shut. The lion's mouth is perhaps adding. Have you ever used the lion's mane for a pillow? I've never had a better sleep. The King brought them out of the pit and immediately ordered his accusers and their families to be thrown in. There were told as a side note, they had not hit the bottom of the den before these hungry lions tore them limb from limb. Darius then makes another decree. The law of the Medes and the Persians. This one says in all the dominion of my kingdom, men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel taken captive. As a teenager, he spends 60 or 70 years of complete fidelity to the God of Judah.

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He's trusted in used in the cabinets of various Kings and his God given skills for visions and dreams and their interpretation has guided the most powerful rulers on earth. The story of Daniel in chapters, one through six, set us up for chapter seven through 12 for there in these chapters, God gives this faithful dream interpreting man, several dreams and visions of the future of human history that are in a word stunning. And we'll look at those dreams and visions of Daniel in our next word picture.