Pride in the book of Daniel Part 1

Daniel overview

Who is Daniel?

Daniel is a teenager who is kidnapped from his noble family in Judah and deported to Babylon. Babylon saught to brainwash daniel and the other educated Israelites. Forced assimilation.

Daniel was a righteous and wise man. Not only in the eyes of Babylon but also according to other prophets at the time. Ezekiel mentions Daniel 3 times.

What’s going on?

Writes about the entire 70 years of Babylonian captivity. 605-536BC

9 of the chapters are visions and dreams. Daniel declares to the oppressed Hebrews God’s plan all the way to the end.

Daniel is writing around the same time of Ezekiel, Habakkuk, Jeremiah, and Zephaniah. The fall of Jerusalem took time. After the educated men were taken to Babylon, Jerusalem was attacked again and again, completely taking it apart.

Who is Daniel writing to?

Captives.

Why did Daniel write it?

Writing to reveal what God was doing while all this evil was happening. Daniel answers the question, “God, where are you”

Walk through the Book

Daniel 1 - Daniel’s background, the conquest of Jerusalem - A test of foods

Daniel 2 - Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and Daniel’s interpretation

Daniel 3 - Men thrown into the oven

Daniel 4 -Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream and his fall

Daniel 5 - King Belshazzar’s sin

Daniel 6 - Daniel in the Lion’s den

Daniel 7 + 8 - Prophetic dreams

Daniel 9-12 - Prophetic dreams for the end times

The Land of Shinar and the Tower of Babel

Looking for pride in the book of Daniel, why pride?

v2 Babylonia - litterally “Shinar” You should have a note in the bottom of your bible that says as much

What is important about the land of Shinar?

Genesis 11 - 1-9

The land of Shinar was the place where the tower of Babel was built. Which was the pinacle of human pride. Let us make a name for ourselves.

Points that we’ll see throughout the entire book of Daniel

There is a cycle that God is allowing to repeat. Man becomes proud, mocks God, and then God humbles and mocks man’s power.

Throughout the different stories and even in the visions the final conclusion is this, YOU ARE NOT GOD. It doesn’t matter how much money you have, how much power you have, how big your army is, how intelligent you are - God is the only one who is sovereign -

Pride is a truly horrible thing. In our culture you have been told to have pride in your work, have pride in your accomplishments, have pride in your identity - Daniel is here to tell you that pride leads to nothing but destruction, ruin, and being on the wrong side of God’s judgement.

Every complitment that you recieve and everything you achieve is an outflowing from God. Humility is recognizing it’s not you, it’s God.

Over the next several weeks we will look at how pride manifests, it’s dangers, and consequences… we pray God will use it to steer our eyes towards Him in all things.