Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
This automated analysis scores the text on the likely presence of emotional, language, and social tones. There are no right or wrong scores; this is just an indication of tones readers or listeners may pick up from the text.
A score of 0.5 or higher indicates the tone is likely present.
Emotion Tone
Anger
0.1UNLIKELY
Disgust
0.09UNLIKELY
Fear
0.11UNLIKELY
Joy
0.62LIKELY
Sadness
0.45UNLIKELY
Language Tone
Analytical
0.79LIKELY
Confident
0UNLIKELY
Tentative
0.03UNLIKELY
Social Tone
Openness
0.75LIKELY
Conscientiousness
0.72LIKELY
Extraversion
0.08UNLIKELY
Agreeableness
0.91LIKELY
Emotional Range
0.64LIKELY
Tone of specific sentences
Tones
Emotion
Language
Social Tendencies
Anger
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9
Daniel 9:20-23, 10:10-21
In Daniel 9, Daniel had been praying and the angel, Gabriel, appears to him and talks to him about his prayers.
In addition to that, in Daniel 9:23; 10:11 , 19, Gabriel called Daniel a "man greatly loved."
At times, I wish I could have a personal encounter with God, Jesus or one of the angels to let me know exactly how I stand in God's eyes.
I would like to know if I am a man greatly loved or not.
The reality, however, is I do not have to have a personal encounter.
I can know how God feels about me based on what is revealed in scripture.
I can examine a man like Daniel.
If I compare at all to him, I know I too am greatly loved.
If I don't compare, then I have some work to do.
Therefore, if we want to be greatly loved by God, we need to examine Daniel's life and see how ours compares.
This is not unconditional love offered to all, but a statement of God's desire for Daniel.
Doesn’t God Love Unconditionally? 1 Jn.
4:7-8; Deut.
4:37, 7:8; 1 Sam.
9:20; 2 Chron.
20:25; Ps. 106:24
The first problem these verses pose for us is knowing that God loves everyone unconditionally because He is love (I John 4:7-8).
How can the text say Daniel is greatly loved as if he is set apart because of something about him?
The word translated "love" here is not the one for our common concept of God's love.
The Hebrew word most related to our common concept of God's love is 'ahab (Strong's H157).
For instance, consider Deuteronomy 4:37.
Another form is 'ahabah (Strong's H160).
See Deuteronomy 7:8.
The Hebrew word used in Daniel 9:23; 10:11, 19 is chemdah (Strong's H2532).
Consider a few other usages of this word.
I Samuel 9:20, in which it is translated "desirable."
II Chronicles 20:25, in which it is translated "precious."
Psalm 106:24, in which it is translated "pleasant."
This is a specific statement to Daniel.
This passage is not about an expression of the unconditional love God has for all mankind which caused Him to offer His Son as a sacrifice to save us all.
Rather, it is an expression that Daniel is pleasant and precious to God.
God desires Daniel.
This is a statement of God's acceptance of Daniel based upon Daniel's life and action.
God loves everyone, but does not take pleasure in everyone.
Yes, God's love is unconditional.
He loves us all no matter what we have done and sacrificed His Son for us all because of that love.
However, He does not view everyone as pleasant, precious and desirable.
He does not accept everyone.
God loves us all with that unconditional love, but He only blesses with salvation those who submit to His will and become desirable.
This is why we need to examine Daniel's life.
Why was he pleasant, precious and desirable to God?
Chapter 1 - Daniel was willing to stand out in order to obey God.
Daniel had healthy, Godly boundaries.
Daniel 1:8
In Daniel 1, Daniel had been taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar and carted thousands of miles away from his home.
His name was changed and he did nothing.
He was enrolled in Babylonian education and he let that slide.
However, when it came lunch time, they wanted him to eat food that was unlawful.
He refused (Daniel 1 :8).
Daniel took a severe risk for his faith.
His refusal was dangerous for him and even for the eunuch who had shown him so much kindness (vs.
10).
However, Daniel and his three friends insisted.
Daniel developed a ten day test and the eunuch agreed (vss.
12-13).
We already know how the story ended.
Daniel and his three friends looked better than all the other captives who ate the food (vs.
15).
What about the other captives?
What always catches my attention is all the other captives who didn't take Daniel's stand.
Here was Daniel, far from home, in a strange place, with strange customs.
Everyone else was just going along with the new regime.
Four men stood alone against everyone else.
Despite the danger of rebelling against their new ruler ... Despite the influence of everyone else who feared rocking the boat, Daniel and his three friends stood out in order to obey God.
If we want to be precious, pleasant and desirable to God, we must be willing to stand out and be different.
Rom.
12:2
We must be willing to obey God no matter what anyone else is doing or what anyone else threatens.
Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Chapter 2 - Daniel relied on God and confessed Him.
Daniel bravely approached danger.
Daniel 2:12,14-16
In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream he wanted interpreted.
Yet none of his wise men could do so.
Finally, in his anger, Nebuchadnezzar decreed all these wise men should be executed (Daniel 2:12).
Daniel did not act out of fear.
He did not act rashly in panic.
Rather, he boldly faced the king asking permission to extend his life for a time and then allow him to come back with the dream and its interpretation (vss.
14-16).
Daniel did not despair.
Daniel 2:17-18
Daniel did not return to his house and fret over what they would do.
He did not try to plan an escape so he and his three friends could get away.
Instead, he told his friends to seek mercy from God (vss.
17-18).
Daniel and his friends relied on God to save them, not on themselves.
They did not rely on guesswork or trickery but on God's mercy.
Daniel revealed the dream honestly.
Daniel 2:27-28
Further, when Daniel knew the dream and its interpretation and came into the king's presence, when he had every opportunity to act as though he was somehow special, instead, he told the king exactly why he knew the dream.
He told the king about his God and how his God had revealed the dream (vss.
27- 28).
We have to trust in God to be pleasing to Him.
Matt.
6:31-33; 10:32-33
None of us has anyone breathing down our necks threatening to kill us.
However, all of us have worries about life.
If we want to be pleasant, precious and desirable to God, we must rely on Him.
Matthew 6:31-33 ““Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
For after all these things the Gentiles seek.
For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Further, if we want to be pleasant, precious and desirable to God, we must confess Him before others.
Matthew 10:32-33 ““Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”
We need to tell others what God has done and acknowledge Him in all our ways, especially regarding salvation.
Chapter 4 - Daniel did not withhold the truth or God's warning.
< .5
.5 - .6
.6 - .7
.7 - .8
.8 - .9
> .9