Daniel
Hope that Motivates Faithfulness
I. Introduction
II. Outline of the Book of Daniel
III. Three Stories of Faithfulness: The Palace Selection
Daniel and his three friends (Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego) were
selected by King Nebuchadnezzar for palace service.
They were to provided by the King.eat the food
They were to be given three years of education by Babylon in preparation
for service to the King.
Daniel and his three friends refuse the food and choose a diet in keeping
with God’s laws.
God, the source of all wisdom, and blesses preserves them in faithfulness.
IV. Becoming Babylonian
Divide the (Dan. 1:3)home.
Teach them their philosophy. (Dan. 1:4)
Compromise their morality. (Dan. 1:5)
Change their (Dan. 1:7)names.
V. Three Stories of Faithfulness: The Fiery Furnace
King Nebuchadnezzar built a large and ordered everyone to golden image
bow down and worship the image.
Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego refused to bow down and worship
Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image.
Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego were thrown into a fiery furnace for their
refusal.
In faithfulness, God protects, preserves, delivers and the three from the
furnace.
Nebuchadnezzar made the faith of the three legal in Babylon.
VI. Three Stories of Faithfulness: The Lion’s Den
King Darius institutes a law that bans praying to any other god or man
than him punishable by death in the lion’s den.
Daniel receives word of the new law and immediately goes to prayer.
True to his word but much to his remorse, King Darius has Daniel thrown
into the lions den
In faithfulness, God protects, preserves delivers and Daniel.
King Darius takes Nebuchadnezzar’s law one step further and commands
that all in the land respect the God of Daniel.
VII. Transforming A Culture
Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego changed the religious belief
of Babylon for because they drew a line and wouldn’t two generations
step over it. They set and lived by God’s standards. They trusted Him
to be faithful in their circumstances.
VIII. Two Stories of Pride: Nebuchadnezzar
Nebuchadnezzar has a dream of a that is chopped down and a tree beast
in the field.
Daniel interprets the dream telling the king that unless he humbles
himself before God, what happened in the dream will happen to him and
his kingdom.
One night while admiring his kingdom and his power Nebuchadnezzar lost
his mind and became like a of the field for the period of time beast
established by God.
When the time end Nebuchadnezzar regained humbled his mind, his
heart, and gave to the King of heaven.honor
IX. Two Stories of Pride: Belshazzar
Belshazzar is throwing a party in the palace. He gets the cups from the
Temple and proceeds to drink from them.
A hand appears and writes something on the wall that he cannot or read
understand.
Daniel interprets the handwriting for the king and tells him that because
of his pride and not learning the lesson of humility from his father, God is
taking the kingdom from him.
Belshazzar is killed later that night.
X. Two Stories of Dreams: The King’s Dream
King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream about a that is eventually statue
toppled by a rock that is transformed into a that covered the mountain
earth.
None of the king’s servants know the dream or can interpret it.
Daniel is brought in to interpret the dream.
Daniel tells the king that the dream represents a series of that kingdoms
will all be toppled by and that it is God’s kingdom that will fill the God
world with healing and justice.
XI. Two Stories of Dreams: Daniel’s Dream
Daniel has a dream of four beasts, the and a person Ancient of Days
known as “the son of man.”
The beasts conquer, rule, and reign.
However, they are overthrown by the who gives the Ancient of Days
kingdoms to the son of man to reign over.
Daniel, like Nebuchadnezzar, does not understand the dream.
An angelic messenger interprets it for him and tells him that God will
conquer liberate the kingdoms of the world and His people.
XII. When God
Daniel has a second vision where he sees two beasts from the previous
dream appear.
The second of these two figures attack’s and exalts himself Jerusalem
above God.
He is destroyed by God.
Daniel consults Jeremiah’s scroll and asks God to do fulfill his promise of
70 years of exile soon.
An angel tells Daniel that God’s people and because of thiscontinue to sin
the exile will continue for a total of 490 years.
Daniel has one final vision where all of the kingdoms from the previous
visions, as well as other lesser kings, and a great are all King of the North
engaged in battle.
The King of the North invades sets up idols in the Temple, and Jerusalem,
exalts himself above God.
Like the other kings, he too is brought to ruin.
XIII. Interpreting the Time
160 B.C. with the reign of Antiochus?
70 A.D. with the Roman Empire?
Future events - Will be fulfilled when comes again.Jesus
XIV. Implications
The book of Daniel speaks to a hope that should motivate to faithfulness.
This hope is in a God who has the power to redeem His people.
This hope is in a God who can overcome all enemies.
This hope is in a God who has a definite plan for the future.
