Daniel-Hope In Our Sovereign God-Daniel 1:1-6
Notes
Transcript
Handout
This morning we begin a new series on the Old Testament book of Daniel. With that in mind, why don’t you go ahead and turn to Daniel chapter 1, a little later we will read verses 1-6, so have those verses marked and ready for that time.
With our theme for the month of January being Christ Our Hope, it seems fitting that we also start the book of Daniel this month. From start to finish, Daniel is a book that trumpets the Hope we have in our sovereign God. Every chapter, every page, every miraculous event, from the superior health of the 4 young men eating only vegetables and drinking water over the rest of the young men eating the best of the kings food in chapter 1, to Daniel not only telling the king what his dream was but also its interpretation in chapter 2. From fiery furnace in chapter 3, to Daniel in the lions den in chapter 6. Throughout we see the sovereignty of God vividly displayed for all of history.
The book of Daniel was vastly different that most of the other prophetic books we see in the Old Testament. Most of them were directed to God’s chosen people, warning them that they were moving from the path God had laid out for them, which promised His blessing if they were obedient to Him and of His judgement if they remained in disobedience. Daniels charge was different. Early on in Daniel, we see him in a high position in the most powerful Nation on the face of the earth. He had the ear of the king, in fact we are given every indication that the 2 were very close. But not just one king, probably 2 others within the Babylonian empire and possibly even 2 in the Medo-Persian empire to come. In the first 8 chapters of Daniel, a big part of his job was to remind those kings that there was a God in heaven, and not just any god, He was El Elyon, the Most High God, and He was the One truly in charge.
Then, from chapters 9-12 Daniel moves from the then and there to the far distant future, much of which is still in the future even for us!
The Book of Daniel is widely regarded as the Old Testament precursor to the New Testament Book of Revelation. In fact, to truly understand Revelation, you must become familiar with the Book of Daniel. These 2 books are even tied together in what has become a favorite worship song since it was written in March of 2018. The song, Is He Worthy, written by Andrew Peterson. In the chorus of the song, 3 questions are asked; “Is Anyone worthy? Is Anyone whole? Is Anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?” The scroll in the song, is the scroll we see written about and sealed until thousands of years in the future in both Jeremiah 2 and Daniel 12:4 & 9.
In the book of Daniel, in chapter 12, Daniel has finished the last of his apocalyptic visions, which brought him great fear as well as great sorrow. He is then instructed to “..shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end” in verse 4. Then, in verse 8, a confused and frightened Daniel asks; “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” To which the angel responded, in similar fashion to verse 4; “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed to the time of the end”.
Fast forward to Revelation chapter 5. The apostle John stands in heaven, he had been given a vision of the history of the church and of God’s redeemed. As he looked over the panorama of church history, all the way up to the tribulation, things had gone from bad to worse. It was clear to John that God’s judgement was quickly approaching and if something didn’t happen, and happen quickly, the results would be universally cataclysmic. This brings us to what John wrote in Revelation 5:1-4, where we read;
Then I saw in the right hand of Him Who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, 4 and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.
By the way, this is the only place in all of Scripture where tears are seen in heaven!
In writing about why John was weeping, W. A. Criswell (author, pastor and theologian), wrote;
“[John’s tears] represent the tears of all God’s people through all the centuries. Those tears of the Apostle John are the tears of Adam and Eve, driven out of the Garden of Eden, as they bowed over the first grave, as they watered the dust of the ground with their tears over the silent, still form of their son, Abel. Those are the tears of the children of Israel in bondage as they cried unto God in their affliction and slavery. They are the tears of God’s elect through the centuries as they cried unto heaven. They are the sobs and tears that have been wrung from the heart and soul of God’s people as they looked on their silent dead, as they stand beside their open graves, as they experience in the trials and sufferings of life, heartaches and disappointments indescribable. Such is the curse that sin has laid upon God’s beautiful creation; and this is the damnation of the hand of him who holds it, that usurper, that interloper, that intruder, that alien, that stranger, that dragon, that serpent, that Satan-devil. “And I wept audibly,” for the failure to find a Redeemer meant that this earth in its curse is consigned forever to death. It meant that death, sin, damnation and hell should reign forever and ever and the sovereignty of God’s earth should remain forever in the hands of Satan.”
Yet even in the midst of John’s weeping, he is interrupted by one of the elders with what we seen in Revelation 5:5
And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that He can open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Then in verse 7 & 8 we read; Revelation 5:7-8
And he went and took the scroll from the right Hand of Him Who was seated on the throne. 8 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Which brings us to verses 9-12 which is echoed in the refrain of the song “Is He Worthy”. Revelation 5:9-12
…“Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for You were slain, and by Your blood You ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10 and You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” … “Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
Daniel is also home to some of the favorite Biblical accounts. In chapter 3 we read of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace, in chapter 5 we read the Biblical account of the Handwriting on the wall, in chapter 6 we see the Biblical account of Daniel in the Lions Den. And there is so, so much more. I think we are going to really enjoy our time in the book of Daniel.
With that as an introduction, let’s go before our sovereign God in prayer.
Sovereign and Holy God,
What a privilege it is for us to approach Your throne this morning. To “behold the wondrous mystr’y” of You “the King”. You “the theme of heavens praises”. You Who “condescended…Took on flesh and ransomed us”. You “the perfect Son of Man…the great and sure fulfillment”. You our “unwavering … hope”. Christ in power, resurrected, as He will be when He comes.” It is in You and You alone where “our hope is found”, because You are our “light, strength and song” our “cornerstone”.
Father, it is because of these things that we set our hope on Jesus. When this life of trial tests our faith. When questions and doubts remain, when our lives are filled with “the deepest wounds that time won’t heal: we “set our hope on Jesus” because You are our Rock our only trust.”
We find our strength in The joy of the Lord, knowing that He makes all things beautiful In His time. He is The Solid Rock on which we stand.
And now Father, as we look into the pages of Your Word, as we start our journey through the book of Daniel, would You speak to us in great power. We present to You this morning, soft and pliable hearts ready to be conformed into Your image. That Your Name would be lifted high in praise.
All these things we pray,
In Jesus Name, Amen
Now, would you please stand in honor of the reading of God’s Word?
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, 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 placed the vessels in the treasury of his god.
3 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, 4 youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.
5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. 6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.
May the Lord add His blessing to the reading of His Word, please be seated.
The History Leading Up To Daniel.
In an effort to help prepare us for our time in the book of Daniel, I want to travel in time around 1406 BC and the writing of Deuteronomy.
1406 BC Moses Farewell Address To the Hebrew Nation. Deut. 28:48-49
Deuteronomy was written as Moses' farewell to the new generation of Israelites before they entered the Promised Land, serving as a covenant renewal document to call them to faithfulness, reiterate God's laws, and prepare them for life in Canaan by emphasizing obedience, love for God, and the blessings/curses that follow their choices. It's a "second law," restating and applying God's commands for a new era, setting a spiritual and legal framework for the community. One of the curses Moses told the people about is recorded in Deuteronomy 28:48–49;
therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you. 49 The Lord will bring a nation against you from far away, from the end of the earth, swooping down like the eagle, a nation whose language you do not understand..
Interestingly, Moses describes a nation “swooping down like the eagle, a nation whose language you do not understand”. First, since Babylon was from the north, based on what we see on a map, with north being above the south, we can see how the “swooping down” fitly describes what took place. Additionally, both Daniel and Ezekiel also used an eagle to describe the Babylonians 900 years later.
Why the Eagle?
Power & Might: The eagle's soaring flight and predatory nature mirrored Babylon's far-reaching military power and dominance.
Dominance: Its ability to cover vast distances symbolized the empire's extensive control and influence during its peak under Nebuchadnezzar II.
Lastly, as we will see in chapter 1, one of the first things required of those taken captive was to “teach … them the language of the Chaldeans.”
Now lets move forward 440 years in history to 966 BC and;
966 BC Solomons Temple Dedication Prayer. 1 Kings 8:33
Solomon has just completed the building of the Temple and part of his prayer during the dedication of the temple, he prays 1 Kings 8:33
“When Your people Israel are defeated before the enemy because they have sinned against You, and if they turn again to You and acknowledge Your Name and pray and plead with You in this house
As we move forward from this point in history, we see the Nation of Israel reject God on multiple occasions, and thus are defeated by their enemies.
930 BC The Divided Nation-Israel to the North, Judah to the South. 1 Kings 12:16
In 930 BC, not long after the death of King Solomon, the Nation of Israel divides into 2 nations, Israel to the north and Judah to the south. The northern kingdom of Israel is wicked from day 1, not one of their kings ever had a heart for God or a desire to serve Him. The southern kingdom of Judah had mostly pagan kings, but they also had several good kings who led the southern kingdom in times of repentance and restoration.
God sent both nations multiple prophets to warn them to repent or face God’s judgement through pagan nations. At least 2 of them, Isaiah and Micah, prophesied to both the north and the south. 2 others only prophesied to 1 of the nations, but their prophecies applied to both in Hosea and Amos.
722 BC The Northern Kingdom of Israel Falls. 2 Kings 17:6
The northern kingdom ignored every single prophecy, thus they were taken captive by the Assyrian Empire in 722 BC. This served as a temporary wake up call to the southern kingdom. But the Assyrian Empire was still a serious threat to the southern kingdom.
701 BC King Sennacherib Surrounds Jerusalem. 2 Kings 19:32
In fact, in 701 BC, the Assyrian King Sennacherib invaded Judah, capturing the fortified cities on the way to surrounding Jerusalem. Hezekiah was King of Judah at the time and he took Sennacherib’s written threat, laid it on the floor in the Temple of God, bowed on his face and prayed seeking God’s deliverance, and God delivered them from an army of 185,000 with 1 angel in 1 night. This was another wake up call for the southern kingdom of Judah. But it didn’t last, Hezekiah died in 687 BC, the prophet Isaiah died 6 years later, and soon Judah turned its back on God.
626-685 BC Jeremiah’s Warnings .
The prophet Jeremiah began warning Judah from 626 to 685, but his words were completely ignored by all but a very small number. John Lennox writes;
In the years before Jerusalem was attacked Jeremiah had repeatedly warned the nation of the serious consequences of their increasing compromise with immoral pagan practices and the idolatry of the nations around them. They did not listen to Jeremiah, and it was not long before Babylon overran the nation and exiled most of the population, as he had explicitly predicted. Lennox, John C.. Against the Flow: The Inspiration of Daniel in an Age of Relativism (p. 24). (Function). Kindle Edition.
Which brings us to the Book of Daniel. Because the Nation of Judah ignored warning after warning after warning, including watching the nothern kingdom of Israel fall starting in,
605 BC The Eagle Swoops Down.
The Babylonian Empire, with Nebuchadnezzar leading the way, descended on Judah in 605 BC.
As best we can tell, He was returning from defeating the Egyptians and on his way back to Babylon, conquering Judah as he went. While in Jerusalem, he defeated King Jehoiakim, took many of the “vessels of the house of God”, as well as some “royal family and of the nobility, 4 youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.” Daniel was one of those individuals.
At that time, Nebuchadnezzar’s father, Nabopolassar, was the King, but while Nebuchadnezzar was in Judah, he received word his father had died. There are some who believe that the initial plan was to completely defeat Judah then and there, but that it was delayed by his fathers death. At any rate, he returned to Babylon to take over as king in his fathers place. Making multiple future trips back to Judah to continue his conquest.
9 years after bringing Daniel to Babylon, in 597 BC, Ezekiel, another prophet of God to Judah, was taken into captivity to Babylon. And still another 9 years later, in 586 BC, Judah was completely overthrown and Jerusalem destroyed.
When our daughter, Brittany was 17, she was very involved in her youth group at church. One weekend they had planned a big bonfire at her youth pastors home. He lived a few miles out in the country and she had rarely been there as most of the time youth group was at church, but this was a special occasion. The bonfire was on a Friday night, so Brittany jumped he 1986 F150 pickup and headed to investigate the best route the night before. So, here she is driving down a road she had been on many times in the past. What she didn’t realize was, the county was in the early stages of completely rerouting the road. The plan was to remove a couple nasty curves that were difficult to negotiate late at night when it was dark. Well as she was driving, she saw a road closed detour sign, local traffic only. Well surely the sign didn’t apply to her! She kept right on driving. Then she got to a second sign, well by then she was pretty determined so she kept on driving. Soon she got to a third sign, and there was no room for her to get past this sign.
She proceeded to attempt a “Y” turn on a very narrow road with a pretty significant drop off on one side. Unfortunately she went too far and soon her pickup was sliding quickly down the drop off. Had it not been for a perfectly placed telephone pole, there is no telling how far she would have gone!
Did I mention it was 10 PM, and the battery on her phone was almost dead. Long story short, thanks to Steven teaching her on the spot how to ping me her location because she had no idea the name of the road she was on, Pam and I went out and rescued her, then I stayed with her pickup for an hour or more until the tow truck could pull her pickup out.
God’s Warnings.
This morning, in our introduction to Daniel, we have looked at just a few of God’s innumerable warning signs, first to the Nation of Israel way back in Deuteronomy, then after the nation was torn in 2 to both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. The northern kingdom never listened and as a result, they were conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BC. Judah would listen from time to time, and had also witnessed the tragic circumstances their brothers to the north experienced with their refusal to listen. Unfortunately, they got to the point where they also turned a deaf ear to God’s warnings. They drove right by multiple detour signs God placed before them. Thus, they followed the tragic path they watched Israel trod.
You know, there are some valuable lessons for us this morning as we consider what led up to the Babylonian captivity we see taking place at the outset of Daniel. The first one is this;
Don’t go around God’s Detours!
I’m not saying that every trial or tribulation we face is a detour from God, which I will address with the last valuable lesson this morning, but frequently God does place detours in our path. And I would say that for the one that does not walk closely with God, a great many of those detours are directly from God, to wake us up and turn us around, to change course so to speak. He does so because of His deep love for us and His desire for us to experience the very best from Him. Sometimes those detours can be painful wake up calls. Like the one I experienced in 2018 when pride began to come to the forefront in my mind as I was certain I was perfectly capable of being a good Village Missionary pastor on my own. My detour was an accident that ended with 8 broken bones that left me completely unable to do anything that needed to be done to get our home ready to sell. To this day I still experience pain, it is a daily reminder that my value come from Him.
I don’t know about you or the detours God has placed before you. But if things are not going great for you right now, I challenge you, seek the Face of God for direction. Ask Him to open your eyes to changes you need to make to get on the right path.
The second lesson is this;
Ignoring God’s Detours Can Adversely affect others.
As we move forward in the book of Daniel, we will immediately see 4 godly young men, all with a heart for God and a desire to be obedient to Him even in the face of incredible odds. They were there, not because they were disobedient, but because of the disobedience of others. When you and I ignore the voice of God, when we ignore the detours He places before us, more likely than not, it will adversely affect many others as well.
Let’s close our time this morning in prayer.
