Sunday, May 24, 2020

The King, Nebuchadnezzar, Dreams: Four World Powers--Daniel Chapter 2:


In Daniel Chapter 2, the king has a dream. No one can interpret the dream. However, God gives Daniel the ability to solve the dilemma. Although the four kingdom never has a complete world reign, they did reign in Daniel's world and over his people, Israel.

You can get a free copy of our study of Daniel by sending an email.

The Statue That the King Saw, Daniel 2:32, 33

 

 

            Body Part                                            Material                       Empire Represented

 

            Head                                                   fine gold                      Babylon

 

            Breast and Arms                                 silver                            Medo-Persia

 

            Belly and thighs                                  bronze                         Greece

 

            Legs                                                    iron                              Rome

 

            Feet (a mixture)                                   iron and clay   Rome’s people good and bad

 

            Toes                                                     iron and ceramic         The 10 Roman

                                                                                                            Kingdoms (v 44)

 

 

 

A Stone Cut Out Without Hands

 

                        Stone represents God                          crushed the feet of iron and clay

 

 

 

 

Remember!!

 

God Is Always In Control of Everything!

 

 

 Daniel

Chapter 2

 

Vv 1 – 18        The King's Forgotten Dream

V 1 Now in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and

            his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him.

A. The year is 606 B.C., and the king has dreams that disturb him and kept him from sleeping.

V 2 Then the king gave orders to call in the magicians, the conjurers, the sorcerers and the

            Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king.

B. The king calls all his wise men, those who practice magic and those who do sorcery to learn

            what his dreams are all about.

  1. Magicians   khar tome’ a horoscopist (as drawing magical lines or circles) magician.

  2. Conjurers—astrologers  ash shawf’ to practice enchant  a conjurer.

  3. Sorcerers – kaw shaf’ to whisper a spell, i.e. to enchant or practice magic -- sorcerer  

            (use) witch (craft).  

  4. Chaldeans  master astrologers.

V 3 The king said to them, I had a dream and my spirit is anxious to understand the dream.

C. The king tells them that he has had a dream and he wants to understand it.

V 4 Then the Chaldeans spoke to the king in Aramaic: O king, live forever! Tell the dream to

            your servants, and we will declare the interpretation.

D. Right on Oh king! Tell us what you have dreamed and we will interpret it.

V 5 The king replied to the Chaldeans, The command from me is firm: if you do not make known

            to me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb and your houses

            will be made a rubbish heap.

E. Why doesn’t the king tell them his dream? Maybe he can’t remember it or is testing them!

  1. The king tells them that they had better come up with an answer.

  2. Otherwise, they are in big trouble.

  3. They will be torn apart and their houses will be destroyed.

    a. Their wives and children will have no place to live.

    b. These people have been living the good life on easy street.

    c. Needless to say, the men are in a pickle.

V 6 But if you declare the dream and its interpretation, you will receive from me gifts and a

            reward and great honor; therefore declare to me the dream and its interpretation.

F. However, if you tell me my dream so I can get back to sleep, then I will reward you greatly.

V 7 They answered a second time and said, "Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we

            will declare the interpretation.

G. Of course they can’t interpret dreams.

  1. Only God can interpret dreams.

  2. If God decides to tell someone how to interpret dreams, then he can do it.

  3. So once more they say, King, tell us the dream and we will tell you what it means.

V 8 The king replied, I know for certain that you are bargaining for time, inasmuch as you have

            seen that the command from me is firm,

H. All you are doing is trying to stall for time since you see that my command is firm.

  1. You just want to stall until I tell you my dream.

  2. You’re trying to buy time because you know that I’ll have you torn apart.

V 9 that if you do not make the dream known to me, there is only one decree for you For you have

            agreed together to speak lying and corrupt words before me until the situation is

            changed; therefore tell me the dream, that I may know that you can declare to me its

            interpretation.


I. If you don’t tell me my dream, there is only one thing for you—death.

  1. You have made a pact together.

  2. You have agreed to lie to me until I change my mind.

  3. But you had better tell me the dream and its meaning.

V 10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, There is not a man on earth who could declare

            the matter for the king, inasmuch as no great king or ruler has ever asked anything like

            this of any magician, conjurer or Chaldean.

J. Oh how right they are!

  1. There isn’t a man on earth who can do what you have asked us to do.

  2. No king or ruler has ever asked such a thing from his wise men.

  3. Notice the use of the word Chaldean.

    a. First of all, this is the second king of Babylon.

    b. The idea is that no king or ruler has ever in history asked this, not that no king of Babylon

            has ever asked this of his wise men.

    c. Which gives credence to the word, “Chaldean” as meaning they have always been a king’s

            court giving advice.

V 11 Moreover, the thing which the king demands is difficult, and there is no one else who could

            declare it to the king except gods, whose dwelling place is not with mortal flesh.

K. No human can declare this to you, only gods.

  1. They were partially right.

  2. They missed it by one “s” God.

V 12 Because of this the king became indignant and very furious and gave orders to destroy all

            the wise men of Babylon.

L. So the king ordered them killed.

  a. Well guess who is included in this?

  b. Daniel and his buddies.

V 13 So the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they looked for Daniel and

            his friends to kill them.

M. Since Daniel and his friends were among the wise men, they too would be killed.

V 14 Then Daniel replied with discretion and discernment to Arioch, the captain of the king's

            bodyguard, who had gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon;

N. Daniel replies with discretion and discernment.

  1. What does Daniel’s name mean?

  2. How does he see life?

  3. He looks at this situation and says, “God will Judge this for me. I don’t need to get worried.

            I’ll just ask the right questions to see why we are going to be killed.”

V 15 he said to Arioch, the king's commander, For what reason is the decree from the king so

            urgent? Then Arioch informed Daniel about the matter.

O. Daniel asks why the king’s command was so urgent.

  1. He didn’t say, “Well what’s the big idea! We’ve done nothing wrong. What’s the matter

            with that dilbert?”

  2. He knows that God will judge this situation and it is God who will decide.

  3. So by being diplomatic, he’s about to get his answer.

V 16 So Daniel went in and requested of the king that he would give him time, in order that he

            might declare the interpretation to the king.

P. Daniel doesn’t fear the king because: (1) he has earned the respect of the king, and (2) he

            knows that God will judge in his favor.

V 17 Then Daniel went to his house and informed his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,

            about the matter,

P. Why do you think Daniel involves his friends?

  1. First of all, their lives are on the line.

  2. He wants them to begin to make intercessory prayer for this matter.

  3. Now, how is each man going to pray?

  4. Each will pray according to his faith in God because of his name.

V 18 So that they might request compassion from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so

            that Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of

            Babylon.

Q. Yes, they were making intercessory prayer for their own lives.

  1. However, they weren’t worried.

  2. Each believed in the God of his own name.

  3. They prayed for other lives, too.

Vv 19 – 30       The Secret Is Revealed to Daniel

V 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of

            heaven;

A. Daniel gets a vision from God.

  1. He isn’t asleep and dreaming.

  2. This is too important matter to be sleeping on.

  3. But as the four men are interceding in prayer for themselves and others, Daniel is given

            a vision.

  4. As we will learn later, this isn’t just an ordinary vision.

  5. This vision will involve history for many decades to come.

  6. When the vision comes, Daniel begins to praise God for the answer.

  7. Do you praise God often enough and strongly enough.

  8. These men have had an awesome prayer meeting, and you can only imagine the praise and

            worship session that broke out when the answer came.

V 20 Daniel said,
         Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever,
         For wisdom and power belong to Him
.
B. Holy are you God. Wisdom and power belong to you forever.

V 21 It is He who changes the times and the epochs;
         He removes kings and establishes kings;
         He gives wisdom to wise men
         And knowledge to men of understanding
.
C. His praise shows much of the answer to his and his friends’ prayers.

V 22 It is He who reveals the profound and hidden things;
         He knows what is in the darkness
,
         And the light dwells with Him.
D. Nothing is hidden nor is too far beyond knowledge for God.

  1. God knows what is hidden in the darkness.

  2. Light dwells with Him.

  3. James writes that there is no shifting shadow around God.

  4. All is light!

V 23 To You, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise,
         For You have given me wisdom and power;
         Even now You have made known to me what we requested of You,
         For You have made known to us the king's matter
.

E. Oh praise you and thank you Oh God!

  1. What did Daniel and his friends praise and thank God for?

  2. Wisdom and power

  3. For answering their prayers

  4. You made known to us the king’s matter.

  5. Thank you God for:

    a. Saving our lives.

    b. Telling us what the king needs to know.

    c. For giving us favor in the kings eyes.

    d. What has the king already promised to the person who can tell his dream (v 6)?

      1) Gifts

      2) Honor

      3) Rewards

V 24 Therefore, Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men

            of Babylon; he went and spoke to him as follows: Do not destroy the wise men of

            Babylon! Take me into the king's presence, and I will declare the interpretation to the

            king.

F. Don’t harm the wise men, instead take me to your king and I will tell him his dream.

  1. What time of the day is it?

  2. It’s during the middle of the night.

  3. Why isn’t the king sleeping?

  4. Because he can’t sleep because of the disturbing dream he has had and forgotten.

V. 25 Then Arioch hurriedly brought Daniel into the king's presence and spoke to him as follows:

            I have found a man among the exiles from Judah who can make the interpretation known

            to the king!

G. Good news, King, Arioch says, “I have found a Jewish boy from the exiles who can tell you

            your dream.

  1. He introduces Daniel to the king.

  2. And Daniel begins to interpret the king’s dream.

V 26 The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, Are you able to make known to me

            the dream which I have seen and its interpretation?

H. The king asks, “Are you sure, young man, that you can make known to me the dream?”

  1. A couple of things we need to look at.

  2. We don’t know just how long it has been that the young men have been in Babylon.

  3. We know for sure it’s been 3 years.

  4. It could have been longer.

V 27 Daniel answered before the king and said, As for the mystery about which the king has

            inquired, neither wise men, conjurers, magicians nor diviners are able to declare it to the

            king.

I. No man is able to tell the king his dream, Daniel admits.

  1. Wonder if the king’s face got a little red, here?

  2. Wonder if the king thought that Daniel was just like the other wise men—stalling for time?

  3. “I’m sorry, Mr. King,” Daniel says, “But nobody can tell the king his dream.

  4. I’m surprised that Daniel got to continue.

V 28 However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King

            Nebuchadnezzar what will take place in the latter days This was your dream and the

            visions in your mind while on your bed.

J. Can’t you imagine that Daniel ran this next by real quickly after his statement in V 27.

  1. Man can’t, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.

  2. God has made known to the king what will take place in the latter days—or distant future.

  3. Here is your visions that plagued your mind while you are trying to sleep.

V 29 As for you, O king, while on your bed your thoughts turned to what would take place in the

            future; and He who reveals mysteries has made known to you what will take place.

K. Oh king, the thoughts you had on your bed were of the future.

  1. You wanted to know what will take place later on.

  2. The very one who reveals all mysteries has chosen to tell you what is going to happen.

V 30 But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more

            than in any other living man, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to

            the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.

L. But oh king, I want you to know that it is through no wisdom that I possess that this takes

            place.

  1. Do you think that you would have told the king that it was you who could do this?

    a. Would you brag just a little bit and take just a little credit for this great feat.

    b. I think that is why today that a man is given a great revelation of healing or revival,

            but then he takes the credit for himself. God doesn’t trust him with anything else.

  2. Daniel tells the king, It is nothing that I have done that brings you this news.

  3. Not only that, but no man alive can tell you the thing you are requesting.

  4. God gives you this information so that you can understand the thoughts of your mind.

Vv 31 – 43       The King's Dream

V 31 You, O king, were looking and behold, there was a single great statue; that statue, which

            was large and of extraordinary splendor, was standing in front of you, and its

            appearance was awesome.

A. You saw a great statue, large and brilliant and magnificent, standing in front of you with an

            awesome appearance.

V 32 The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and

            its thighs of bronze, V 33, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

B. The statue’s head was of fine gold.

  1. The breast and arms of silver

  2. Its belly and thighs of bronze.

  3. Its legs of iron.

  4. Its feet (a mixture) of iron and clay.

V 34 You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its

            feet of iron and clay and crushed them.

C. Who cut the stone and smashed the statue’s feet? God

V 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time

            and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away

            so that not a trace of them was found But the stone that struck the statue became a great

            mountain and filled the whole earth.

D. Some scholars want to interpret this verse as representing Jesus and his kingdom spreading.

  1. This is contrary to the Gospels.

  2. Matthew 13:24-30, read; 36-43; 2 Timothy 3:1-13

  3. Since His kingdom isn’t represented as a great mountain, this must be a reference to the

            Millennial reign of Christ.

    a. All mountains will be brought low. Isaiah 40:3, 4; Psalm 114:6 (skip)

    b. All valleys raised. Isaiah 40:3

    c. Make straight his paths. Isaiah 40:3

Vv 36—38       The Interpretation--Babylon the First Kingdom

V 36 This was the dream; now we will tell its interpretation before the king.

A. First I tell you the dream you had, and now I will give you the interpretation.

V 37 You, O king, are the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the

            power, the strength and the glory;

B. You may be king of kings, but God has given you your kingdom, power, strength and your

            glory.

 V 38 and wherever the sons of men dwell, or the beasts of the field, or the birds of the sky, He has

            given them into your hand and has caused you to rule over them all. You are the head of

            gold.

C. Man and beast and birds of the air, God has given them to you to rule over them. You are the

            head of gold.

V 39— Medo-Persia and Greece

V 39 After you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, then another third kingdom of

            bronze, which will rule over all the earth.

A. The two kingdoms that follow Babylon, the Medo-Persia and Greece, were not as powerful as

            Babylon.

 Vv 40 – 43      Rome

 V 40 Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and

            shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in

            pieces.

A. After these two kingdoms, there will come a fourth kingdom that will be really strong.

  1. Like iron that can crush anything.

  2. This powerful kingdom will break to pieces all the kingdoms.

V 41 In that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it will be a

            divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the

            iron mixed with common clay.

B. You saw feet and toes partly of clay and partly of iron.

  1. The kingdom will have in it the toughness of iron.

  2. But it will be tough iron weakened by common clay.

V 42 As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will

            be strong and part of it will be brittle.

C. Notice the toes were partly of iron and partly of pottery, ceramic.

  1. They will be some strong kingdoms.

  2. And there will be some weak kingdoms—brittle, i.e. easily shattered.

  3. This indicates problems within.

  4. There will be someone inside who wants to rule.

  5. Remember that they assassinated Caesar.

  6. When they did, Lucianisus, Mark Anthony and Augusta his three generals took over.

V 43 And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another

            in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not

            combine with pottery.

D. Although tough as iron in parts other parts will be of a material that does not mix with iron.

  1. This is the ten toed kingdom of Daniel 9, and we’ll talk about it at length then.

  2. It is noteworthy that these kingdoms are from the old Roman Kingdom.

  3. We know that three of them will fall, and a small kingdom will rise to rule the rest.

Vv 44 – 45       The Divine Kingdom

V 44 In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be

            destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an

            end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.

A. Those days represent the tribulation period, the last 7 years of Daniel’s 70 heptads of Daniel 9.

  1. Those kings are the ten mentioned as toes above. Christ began his kingdom under Roman

            Rule.

  2. Another kingdom will be set up—what kingdom? The millennium reign of Christ and

            ultimately the eternal Kingdom of God.

  3. No other people will be able to take this kingdom.

  4. It will crush and put an end to all kingdoms.

    a. The battle of Armageddon.

    b. The ultimate battle against evil at the end of the 1000 year reign.

      1) Satan will be defeated and thrown into the lake of fire.

      2) The white throne judgment of Matthew 25 will take place.

      3) The eternal order will begin and we shall ever be with the Lord.

V 45 Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it

            crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made

            known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its

            interpretation is trustworthy.

B. Who cuts the stone? God

  1. The stone represents God’s control of history.

  2. Remember everything happens for a purpose.

  3. God formed all these plans during the 6 days of creation.

  4. He knew what would take place and when.

  5. Now through Daniel, God is revealing the history of man through and including the

            1000 year reign of Jesus.

Vv 46 – 49       Daniel Promoted

V 46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face and did homage to Daniel, and gave orders to

            present to him an offering and fragrant incense.

A. Why would the king of the world bow down to worship a poor Jewish boy?

  1. The young man had told him his dream.

  2. The dream that Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar was the exact dream he had.

  3. The interpretation was believed by the king because Daniel told him what would happen

            to all those kingdoms represented by the statue.

V 47 The king answered Daniel and said, "Surely your God is a God of gods and a Lord of kings

            and a revealer of mysteries, since you have been able to reveal this mystery.

B. Do you realize why you must work your gifts?

  1. Others will see the magnificence of God.

  2. the king of the most powerful nation in the world recognized that there was a God of gods and

            a Lord of kings.

  3. Nebuchadnezzar met The One True God this night.

V 48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts, and he made him ruler over

            the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.

C. The king promised to give the one who could interpret his dream a huge reward.

  1. He does.

  2. He makes Daniel ruler over his whole province.

  3. He also became chief of all the wise men of Babylon, too.

V 49 And Daniel made request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego

            over the administration of the province of Babylon, while Daniel was at the king's court.

D. Did Daniel ask that his buddies be promoted because they were his buddies?

  1. No.

  2. He knows they are capable, fair, and God-fearing young men.

  3. He knows they will be part of the solution not part of the problem.

 

 Daniel 

Chapter 2 Study Questions

 

  1. In verse 1, what year is it?

 

  2. How is the way the king presents his dream to his wise men different from the

            way most kings present their dreams?

 

  3. Were the wise men right whenever they told the king that no man could tell him his

            dream?

 

  4. Did Daniel tell the king that if given time he may be able to give him an answer?

 

  5. Whom did Daniel solicit to help him get an answer from God?

 

  6. Whom did Daniel tell the king gave the interpretation to his dream?

 

  7. What does Daniel do when he gets his answer from God?

 

  8. What does the statue really represent (no names of countries)? 

 

  9. Who is represented by the head of the statue?

 

10. Who is represented by the breast and arms?

 

11. What does the ten toes represent?

 

12. Who cut the rock out of the mountains?

 

13. How was it able to crush the toes?

 

14. When will this event take place (the crushing of the toes)?

 

15. This last kingdom mentioned will last for how long?

 

16. Who will rule and reign in the last kingdom?

 

17. What will be your part in this last kingdom?

 

18. What kind of reward did Daniel get?

 

19. Whom did he ask the king to give offices to?

 

20. Why?


Blessings,


Howard


PS: Our first novel, The Red-Haired Master Shepherd, has been published. The novel is fiction about a little known Biblical character who meets Jesus. Check it out here. Or you can email us for your copy.



Who You Are Isn't Based on Performance with God. Who You Are Should Have A Direct Bearing on How You Perform.







Thursday, May 21, 2020

Daniel's Name, God Is My Judge: Chapter 1



Author's Notes


One of the best known Old Testament books, Daniel gives the history of the world as this history pertains to the Jewish nation. First, Daniel describes how the Lord can work even when his people are in captivity. Next, Daniel gives the history of four major players in history beginning with Babylon, Medo/Persia, Greece and Rome.
Then Daniel gives the history of the 400 years of silence between the Old Testament and the New Testament. When the New Testament begins, Rome has become the major world leader. Although their reign doesn't continue until present day, Rome's influence in governments can still be felt.
Finally, Daniel shows how the Old Roman Empire will again capture the entire world. The world will have one government, one society and one religion. The Book of Daniel stuns the imagination! How could someone stand on the sands of time and predict with incredible accuracy the history of the world. We believe the answer can only come from guidance of a higher power. A power who sees the whole world in a single glance. We believe that power to be none other than Jesus Christ. Daniel's world history book includes the rise and fall of Christ as a leader. However, it is Christ who will ultimately reign supreme over the entire heavens and earth.

Introduction

Daniel: 605-633 B.C.

             Daniel’s name means, “God is my Judge.” Daniel served in the courts of heathen governments. The two governments, the Babylonians and the Medo-Persian ones, held him in great esteem. Daniel proves that one can be in politics and have integrity.

             Daniel was there on the night the Medo-Persians overthrew Babylonians in 536 B.C., 70 years after he had been taken captive. The Persian King, Cyrus, put Daniel into his service, and Daniel rose to be the most trusted individual in the Medo-Persian government.

             Daniel’s ministry continued until at least the third year of Cyrus’ reign, (Daniel 10:1, the third year of Cyrus’ reign). If Daniel were 13 years old when he was taken to Babylon, he would be 85 years old at this time – 13 + 72 = 85 (533 B.C.). Consequently, he served as a spokesman for God from around 605 to 533 B.C.

             Remember the magicians or soothsayers in Daniel. Daniel became very important to them. We know this because of his saving their lives. He interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2) in the second year of the king’s reign. All of them were going to be killed within a 24-hour period if they couldn’t interpret the king’s dream. It was from their forefathers that the wise men from Mesopotamia came following the star to Bethlehem. (the story of Balaam (Numbers. 24:17).

             Daniel was written somewhere between 605 – 533 B.C. Daniel was taken captive in 606 B.C. during the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim. He was taken captive along with many other young, intelligent, handsome Jewish men from the court of the kings of Israel.

             Although the book of Daniel is a book of prophesy, it is not found in the Hebrew Second Book of Prophesy. Rather, Daniel is found in the third division of the Hebrew Bible.

             Daniel had long been a controversy as to: 1. its authenticity and 2. its authorship. For centuries scholars held that Daniel was written much later during the time of Antiochus Epiphanies (175 – 163 B. C.). They figured that a smart Jew who claimed to be Daniel wrote the book after much of the historical prophesy of the book had been completed.

             However, there are very few Greek words in the book which lends itself to a much earlier date than the 175 – 163 B.C. era. Also, the Qumran documents, the Dead Sea Scrolls, dated only a few decades before the alleged second-century writing of Daniel, show grammatical differences that indicate they were written centuries earlier.

            Many miracles occur in the book, and he writes much about end-times events. He is the only prophet who deals with the 400 years of silence between the Old and New Testaments (Daniel 11).

            In Chapter 11 Daniel gives us a prophetic view of the world events that will happen in the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments. I find it amazing that Daniel prophesies all these events from 533 B.C., nearly 100 years before the actual historical events begin to take place.

            It is interesting that the end of Chapter 11:36-45, deals with the tribulation period and Antichrist’s future career. We’ll look at the events of Chapter 11 in detail when we get there.

             Daniel lived by faith. He saw everything through the eyes of his name, “God is my Judge.” No matter what he did, his focus was on the meaning of his name. He judged everything through the lens of “God is my Judge.”

 

Chapter 1


Vv 1 – 7          The Choice Young Men

V 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim (609-597 B. C.) king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar

            king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.

A. We have determined in our introduction that the year was 606 B.C.

  1. Other dates can be found, but much depends on whose view you take.

  2. The Jews counted the very year a king began his reign as the first year.

    a. Example. If I became king today, September, 2009, the nations would say that my first

            year was 2009.

    b. However, the Jews would not count my reign as one year until I had held office

            for a full year, September, 2010 would then by my first year.

  3. In the third year of Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar—605 to 562 B.C.—he came to

            Jerusalem and set up siege works.

  4. From 2 Kings 24 and 2 Chronicles 36, we learn that he takes valuables from the Temple

            and Daniel tells us that he takes sons of the royal family, or the young men who where

            being trained to serve in the King’s court, back to Babylon.

  5. Daniel was one of these “royal family” kids.

  6. He was probably 12 or 13 years old at the time.

 7. Why is this year important in Jewish history? Because 70 years later, Cyrus takes Babylon,

            and he lets the Jews go back to Israel as Jeremiah prophesies.

V 2 The Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the

            house of God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and he

            brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.

B. Interesting to note that Daniel ascribes the takeover of Israel to the Lord.

  1. Without the Lord, nothing takes place that takes place in history.

    a. WW1 and WW2, took place so that Israel could become a nation.

    b. Without an Israel, Jesus can’t come back according to the word of God.

  2. The land of Shinar is a reference to Babylon.

  3. The pagans honored their gods and gave them credit for the victory by decorating around

            them with the gods from the lands they took.

V 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of

            Israel, including some of the royal family and of the nobles,

C. After placing his trophies in his god-room, the king wants to see these prize young men he’s

            taken, too.

V 4 youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch

            of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability

            for serving in the king's court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and

            language of the Chaldean's.

D. The young men that he had taken were examined as one might examine a good horse or cow.

  1. These young men could have no defect, injury, limp or scar.

  2. They had to be handsome.

  3. Intelligence has always been regarded as a good trait.

  4. Not only intelligent but able to show that in all wisdom.

  5. They had to be endowed with understanding.

  6. The knowledge to be discerning, to know right from wrong, which spoon to use or

            which fork to hold, etc.

  7. They had to possess the intelligence and wisdom to serve in the King’s court.

    a. You know they don’t allow just anyone to be around the king, don’t you?

    b. You have to know how to act, when to speak and when to be silent, etc.

  8. Then the king ordered that they be taught literature and the Babylonian language.

V 5 The king appointed for them a daily ration from the king's choice food and from the wine

            which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of

            which they were to enter the king's personal service.

E. These young men were treated very well.

  1. Given a daily ration of food and wine.

    a. Not just any ordinary food and wine.

    b. No, it was the same food and wine the king ate and drank.

  2. What kind of education do you think they received?

    a. Educated in all the ways of the Babylonians.

    b. The purpose was to train them to be good little Babylonians.

    c. If they could get these kids to forget home and their religion and adopt the ways of

            Babylon, they would be a great asset to the king later.

  3. Later they would enter the service of the king in some capacity depending on how well

            well they did in their studies and capabilities to add to his kingdom.

V 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

F. We do not know how many young men the king took from Israel.

  1. We only learn about 4.

  2. The reason we learn about these 4 young men is because they would not change from being

            Jews regardless of the penalty.

V 7 Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned

            the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach and to Azariah

            Abed-nego.

G. We’re going to hang out here just a little bit.

  1. What’s in a name?

  2. In the case of a Jew, everything.

  3. A Jew was taught to see everything from the perspective of his name.

    a. Abram to Abraham—high father to father of many.

    b. Abraham begin to view himself as just that, the father of many even though he had no

            children.

  4. The Babylonians thought that by changing the names of these young men it would change

            their religious views, too.

    a. Their name change would make them see themselves as who their new name represented.

    b. They would become valuable assets to the King because they would buy into the Babylonian

            ways of life, education, literature, history and religion.

  5. Apparently, the Babylonian was worked with all the other Jewish boys brought there;

            however, it did not work with these four.

  6. Daniel meant, God is my Judge.

    a. His name was changed to Belteshazzar.

    b. His Babylonian name means, May Bel protect his life.

    c. Daniel saw the world through his name, God is my Judge.

    d. If you asked Daniel a question on any subject, he’d reply, “As God is my judge, here is

            the answer.

    e. You’ll see this played out through out the book of Daniel.

  7. Hananiah means, “Yahweh is gracious.”

    a. His name was changed to Shadrach which meant “command of Aku” the moon God.

    b. Hananiah saw the world through his name.

    c. If you asked him a question, he’d answer it with, “Just remember how gracious the Lord

            is to you.”

  8. Mishael means, “Who is what God is?”

    a. His name was changed to Meshach which means, “Who is what Aku is?”

    b. Mishael saw the world through his name.

    c. If you asked him a question, he’d answer with, “There’s nothing like God is.”

  9. Azariah means, “Whom Yahweh helps.”

    a. His name was changed to Abed-nego which means, “Servant of Nebo.”

    b. Azariah saw the world through his name.

    c. If you asked Azariah a question, he’d answer with, “Whomever Yahweh helps is helped

            indeed.”

10. If you asked Daniel, What is life? He’d say, “Life is Great because it is judged by God.”

11. If you asked Hananiah, What is life? He’d say, “God deals with life in a gracious manner.”

12. If you asked Mishael, What is life? He’d say, “Life is what God is all about!”

13. If you asked Azariah, What is life? He’d say, “God will help me through life.”

14. Each Jewish name contains a name for the true God, el or iah.

15. Each Babylonian name contains a name for a heathen god.

16. Isn’t it amazing how Satan always tries to imitate God.

    a. That’s all he knows.

    b. He has nothing original in him at all.

    c. He only knows lies, and an imitation of God for Satan is a lie.


Vv 8 – 21         Daniel's Resolve

V 8 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food or

            with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the

            officials that he might not defile himself.

A. Daniel decides to stay Kosher.

  1. Now this was not only a choice that Daniel makes.

  2. The other three young men made their choice along with Daniel.

  3. They decide that they will only eat vegetables and drink water.

  4. Now they just didn’t refuse to do this.

  5. They asked the man in charge if it would be o.k.

V 9 Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the

            Officials.

B. Whoever was in charge of the men, God granted favor in his eyes.

V 10 And the commander of the officials said to Daniel, I am afraid of my lord the king, who has

            appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more

            haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my

            head to the king.

C. When Daniel asks the man in charge, he tells him, no way. Do you want to get me

            beheaded? If you guys show up in front of the king and he sees you all skinny,

            he’ll want to know why I haven’t been feeding you.

V 11 But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over

            Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, V 12 Please test your servants for ten days, and

            let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink.

D. God gives Daniel the right words to say, Test us for ten days and see if we are different from

            the others.

V 13 Then let our appearance be observed in your presence and the appearance of the youths

            who are eating the king's choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you

            see.

E. At the end of ten days, see if we look any differently than those eating the kings food.

V 14 So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days.

F. You knew he was going to listen because God had given them favor, remember!

V 15 At the end of ten days their appearance seemed better and they were fatter than all the

            youths who had been eating the king's choice food.

G. After the test days were over, the four men appeared to be in better health than the rest.

V 16 So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and

            kept giving them vegetables.

H. So the man in charge allowed them to remain on Kosher foods rather than defile their bodies

            with food of the pagans.

V 17 As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of

            literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams.

I. Because they remain faithful to God, he causes them to excel in all their studies.

  1. He gives them wisdom and discernment.

  2. He gives Daniel the ability to understand dreams and visions.

  3. However, only God can do this through someone.

V 18 Then at the end of the days which the king had specified for presenting them, the

            commander of the officials presented them before Nebuchadnezzar.

J. How long were they in training? 3 years.

V 19 The king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah,

            Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's personal service.

K. These four young Jews exceeded all the others in looks, manners, intelligence, wisdom and

            discernment.

  1. Their faithfulness to God paid off big time.

  2. Because of their choices, God honored them and caused them to go to the head of the class.

  3. They didn’t just go into the King’s service, they went into his “personal service.”

  4. Wonder what happened to the rest of the class?

V 20 As for every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king consulted them, he

            found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his

            realm.

L. Now they weren’t just smatter than their peers, they were far advanced to the king’s own

            wise men—even ten times smarter.

V 21 And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king.

M. If he started after a three-year training period, Daniel served the kings of Babylon for

            67 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Study Questions
Daniel Chapter 1

 

  1. When was Daniel taken captive?

  2. Why is it important to know the year?

  3. What is to happen 70 years later?

  4. Where is the land of Shinar?

  5. Who gave the Israelis to the Babylonians?

  6.  Why did the king treat these young captives so well?

  7. What kind of food and drank were they served?

  8. What kind of an education do you think they received?

  9. What was the purpose of the education?

10. Which branch of service would they enter whenever they finished school?

11. Why are we only told about four young Jewish boys from all that were taken?

12. Why did they change their names?

13. What does Daniel’s name mean?

14. What does Belteshazzar mean?

15. What does Hananiah mean?

16 What does Shadrach mean?

17. What did God give to the four young Jews for being faithful to Him?

18. How long were these young men in training?

19. How many years did Daniel serve the kings of Babylon?

 

Blessings,


Howard


PS: Our first novel, The Red-Haired Master Shepherd, has been published. The novel is fiction about a little known Biblical character who meets Jesus. Check it out here. Or you can email us for your copy.



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