Daniel in Review

Notes
Transcript
This is the final message in our Daniel series. We made it. What a ride it’s been.
It is my habit when teaching through a book of the Bible to give you an overall outline of the book on the front event and survey the book, and then we walk thought it chapter by chapter and verse by verse, and then as we conclude I will survey the book once again highlighting all the major themes that we saw along the way. Today is that closing summary.
I have personally been very encouraged by the contents of this book and I hope that you have as well.
I want to remind us of the overal structure of the book.
As we work getting started we stressed the reality that Daniel was composed in two different languages, and when those lanaguages were used actually helps us see the emphasis that the author had.
In chapter one, we find the introduction and setting of the book. This chapter is in Hebrew. It serves to remind the Jewish people that while they were in exile, it wasn’t because God was aloof.
Chapters 2-7 were written in Aramaic, the common language of the day. This suggests for us that they have a broader purpose. God was revealing his sovereignty over the nations. This was God demonstrating his power and authority, and that no should get a wrong idea from the deportation of Israel.
Chapters 1-6 were in narrative form. Chapters 7-12 are prophetic visions.
Chapter 7 serves a hinge point in the book. It is the last Aramaic chapter, but first chapter of prophetic vision.
As we enter into chapters 8-12, the language shifts back to Hebrew as God reveals specifics about what is to come for the people of Israel, how they will suffer many things, but how God will ultimately rescue and preserve his people.
Let’s do a flyover of the book to remind ourselves of the themes we saw.
From chapter one we saw that god was the one to deliver the Israelite people into the hands of the Babylonians.
And 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.
Despite being pressed into service for the pagan king, Daniel and his friends stood resolute. They would not define themselves with the kings food.
In chapter two we find the story of Nebuchadnezzar having a disturbing dream. He threatens to kill all the wise men. Daniel asks for time to seek the lord and god answers and provides both the dream and the interpretation.
Nebuchadnezzar. You are the head of gold, but even so there are other kingdoms that will come after you and one that shall be established by the lord himself and that kingdom will endure forever.
The first hint to Nebuchadnezzar that he needed to take himself down a notch or two in his own thinking.
In this we see gods sovereignty over the nations. Daniel thanks the lord for giving the interpretation and declares
Daniel answered and said, “Let the name of God be blessed forever and ever, For wisdom and might belong to Him.
“And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men And knowledge to men of understanding.
Chapter three brought another crisis. Nebuchadnezzar is full of himself. He builds a statue. He commands worship. Hannaniah, meshael, and azariah refuse.
We have this epic line of conviction and courage
“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to save us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will save us out of your hand, O king.
“But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods, and we will not worship the golden image that you have set up.”
And so into the furnace they go. But they are rescued! God preserves them. The king is shocked. He calls them out. At this point he is beginning to understand the power of god, but is not yet willing to be in full submission to him recognizing his sovereignty.
One of the things that we stressed as we walked through the narrative portions of the book is how, yes god honored the faithfulness of men like Daniel and these three friends, and he protected them. While we see that as true, it is not primary theme of these portions. It is not a promise that all who live faithful fully will be likewise rescued. In fact the second half the book promises severe suffering even for faithful Jews.
The point is God’s sovereignty over the pagan kings who thought they were all-powerful.
Nabbuchadnezzar says “I have power over all things, I command worship, I have power over life and death itself”
and God says, no.
You are not the king of the universe Nebbuchadnezzar. You are not the one with the power of life and death in your hands. There is a God in heaven, and it isn’t you.
Chapter four brings us the humbling of Nebuchadnezzar. He has a dream, Daniel interprets it. the king refuses to humble himself.
Is this not Babylon the great which I have built??
Immediately God strikes him. He is like a beast for 7 years.
When he finally regains his sanity, he claritys with striking lucidity:
“But at the end of those days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes toward heaven, and my knowledge returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever; For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
“And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, But He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth; And no one can strike against His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’
Now the king finally gets it. He is not lord over all, the Lord God almighty stands alone as the sovereign.
The final words of Nebuchadnezzar are critical:
“Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”
I mentioned it at that time, but I do believe we will see Nebuchadnezzar in glory. He has encountered the power of the Most High God, and has learned to bow in humble submission to him.
This text also serves as a warning to those who walk in pride, a warning that his grandson would have done well to heed, but didn’t.
Chapter 4 was the humbling of Nebuchadnezzar.
Chapter 5 is the humbling of Belshazzar.
Belshazzar was throwing a party and using the sacred vessels from the Temple in jerusalem. It was if he was trying to make a statement about himself and his gods over the God of Israel. It was defiant act of blatant rebellion and blasphemy.
And God said, alright. You want to see who’s really in charge here?
We see the writing on the wall. Daniel interprets.
MENE MENE TEHEL UPHSARSIN
Numbered, numbered, weighed, and divided.
Your days are numbered, spoken twice for emphasis and surety.
You have been weigned and found lacking.
Your kingdom will be divided and give over to the Medes and Persians.
And that’s exactly what happens. God hands them over to the new empire that very night.
Nebuchadnezzar learned his lesson. Belshazzar did not. God demonstrated his sovereignty by taking the kingdom from him and giving it to the Medio-Persian empire.
In chapter six we find another story of God’s deliverance.
Daniel remains faithful to seek the Lord, even as the very act of prayer to God became illegal.
He is thrown to the lions as a result. God shuts the mouths of the lions and preserves Daniel’s life. The main point of all this? Again, it is not that you can expect to spared from all of life’s dangers if you are faithful.
The main point is on the lips of Darius:
“I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom, men are to fear and be in dread before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God and enduring forever, And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed, And His dominion will be unto the end.
“He saves and delivers and does signs and wonders In heaven and on earth, Who has also saved Daniel from the power of the lions.”
Chapter 7 brings us into the prophetic portion of the book, but still in Aramaic, which still suggests for us that God is speaking broadly to all nations.
This is the vision of the beasts. One like a lion with wings of an eagle, one like a bear with ribs in its mouth, one like a leopard with four wings and four heads, and fourth indescribable beast, with teeth like iron, ten horns, and a little horn that came and spoke great boasts.
In this vision he also saw the ancient of days seated on his throne. He saw the son of man coming on the clouds of heaven.
“And to Him was given dominion, Glory, and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations, and men of every tongue Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not be taken away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.
One of the great things about Daniel is that many of the details of the visions are explained by the angel, and that’s what happens in the second half of chapter 7.
There will be these kingdoms that rise and fall. There will be a final earthly kingdom led by one who will wag war against the saints and even overcome them until the Ancient of Days of comes.
“I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overcoming them
until the Ancient of Days came and judgment was given in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the season arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom.
This refers to the anti-christ and his actions during the great tribulation on the earth.
God reminds the world, yes these things are coming, it may even seem that these earthly kingdom will have ultimate victory.
But when the Ancient of Days comes. When the Highest One appears.
‘Then the reign, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’
there is a day that is coming. All kingdoms will serve the one true God.
God is Sovereign over the Nations.
Stepping into chapter 8-12, we find ourselves back in the Hebrew portion of the book. The visions shift attention from a global purpose of reminding the nations who is really in charge, to informing God’s people what they must endure and remind them that it won’t last forever. God will ultimately rescue.
Chapter eight is primarily about Antiochus Epiphanies. The vision of the Ram and the Goat. Alexander the Great. With remarkable detail Daniel sees events that would not take place for hundreds of years after his death. Antiochus would rise to power, destroy many, but then ultimately “be broken without hands”
This vision came with a expiration date. How long would Antiochus prevail? 2300 evenings and mornings.
Daniel learned of immense suffering of his people at the hands of Antiochus, but he was promised: It won’t last forever. Even in the suffering, God is sovereign…he last set Antiochus’ expiration date, and he won’t last a day longer than that.
Be warned, but take comfort. Be informed, but persevere through the persecution. Stay faithful.
Chapter 9 is divided into two parts. The first half is Daniel’s prayer for God to return Israel to her land in light of the Jeremiah prophecy of a 70 year captivity. Time is winding down. Lord, do what you promised to do! Listen! Forgive! Heed! Take action!
On the heels of this prayer, God reveals the 70 weeks to Daniel.
Daniel needs to understand that though God promises desolation upon Israel, God has not deserted her.
We understand these 70 weeks to be 70, 7-year periods of time.
There will be a decree to rebuild jerusalem. I believe that’s likely the decree of Artaxerxes. After 69 weeks, the Messiah will come, but will be cut off from his people. This is the coming of Jesus Christ and his crucifixion.
We talked about the textual and contextual reasons for concluding that there is a gap of time between the 69th and 70th weeks.
The final week sees the antichrist making a covenant with Israel for 7 years, breaking it half way through, but ultimately, at the end of it all, complete destruction is decreed on the one who makes desolate.
Suffering for God people, but a promised end of deliverance and victory.
Chapter’s 10-12 are really one great big vision. Chapter 10 sets things up by telling us Daniel sees a vision, it leaves him weak and in need of divine strengthening.
Chapters 11-12 tell the vision and the explanation.
The first half of chapter 11 we believe has by now been fulfilled. It tells of the rise and fall and many kings from the north and south. This is largely the history of the Ptolemaic and Seleucid empires, including Antiochus.
Half way through the chapter, things shift and from our perspective we see these things as future awaiting the future antichrist who is to come.
But as quickly as his rises to power, he will be destroyed. God raises us kings and sets them down, and here he will set antichrist down. He will come to his end.
Chapter 12 gives the final encouragement: The end brings resurrection. God will deliver his people. Those who perish will be resurrected. Those who have insight will shine brightly like starts forever and ever.
The time is fixed. Many will be purged, purified, and refined. The wicked will act wickedly. But blessed are those who persevere.
The final verse sums it all up:
“But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and stand again for your allotted portion at the end of the days.”
These things are surely coming. The days are numbered. They will happen. God is sovereign over the nations. He Lord over time.
As for you, fulfill your duty until the time comes.
To sum it all up:
Daniel Reminds us that God is Sovereign Over the Nations.
Daniel Reminds us that God is Sovereign Over the Nations.
We just had an election cycle. We are about to have an inauguration. Many conservatives were pleased with the results. Most of us were not at all confident in what would occur.
So many will happily declare “Thank God for president Trump!”
And God did raise up President Trump and placed him where he is.
Just like he did to president Biden before him. God raised Him up, and set him down.
Just like he did President Trump’s first term. Just like he did for President Obama. And President Bush. And President Clinton.
It seems that as time moves forward, every election is the most important election in our lifetime, and there is more angst over each election cycle, and we Christian can so easily get caught up in all the noise that we forget who is really on the throne. 150 million Americans may have voted in this election, but the only voice that matters is the God’s.
Last week I broke from my usual practice to give us 11 principles of political engagement from Daniel. We must not fall into the trap that says since God is sovereign we don’t have responsibility. No! It is good to be involved and to seek to influence for good!
But we do so recognizing that we aren’t on the thone. He is.
Daniel reminds us that God is sovereign over the nations.
Daniel Reminds Us that the Days Are Limited.
Daniel Reminds Us that the Days Are Limited.
Whatever is happening, the days are numbered. Are you enduring hardship and sufferings? The days are numbered. Are you facing persecution? The days are numbered. Are you in fear for your life? Even if you die, the days are numbered and resurrection is promised!
Whatever you are going through take heart in knowing that God’s sovereignty means that there is a limit to the suffering that you will endure, because God himself has numbered the days!
Daniel Reminds Us to Persevere.
Daniel Reminds Us to Persevere.
I’ve quoted the saying “prophecy is less about giving us a calendar, and more about shaping our character” several times.
So often we want our charts, and we want to know how everything lines up.
I’m not against charts. I use them. They can be helpful.
But we mustn’t let our fascination with the end times be devoid of the desire to be changed by the truth.
Israel was called to have insight. Israel was called to point people to righteousness. Israel was called to persevere through the persecution.
We are not Israel, but there are principles here for us.
We have lived in a nation that has largely insulated us from being a persecuted church. In recent years there has been increased public hostility to the things of the Lord, and thus against the church, but it is nothing compared to what others are going through.
But that may change. When? I don’t know. But will you persevere if/when it does?
Many people these days have publically deconstructed from the faith. Otherwise known as apostacy.
Will you persevere?
Finally, and simiarly,
Daniel Reminds Us to be Faithful.
Daniel Reminds Us to be Faithful.
Go your way Daniel. Do your job. Be faithful. this is what perseveance ultimately looks like. It looks like faithfulness.
When all hell breaks loose. be faithful. When you are threatened with fire and lions, be faithful. when wicked leaders come against you, be faithful.
For those who persevere we have the promise: you will stand again for your alloted portion at the end of the days.