Daniel 1DANIEL’S AUTHORITY
DANIEL: THE KEYS TO GOD’S PLAN
580-540 BC ‘Revelation’ #1
Amplified by Others
Much FulfilledThe Bible is
Unique
The Babylonian Kingdom in Daniel’s Time
The Babylonian Kingdom in Daniel’s TimeDan. 1:1,2 Changed Everything!• During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s
reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
• The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God.
• So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the treasure-house of his god.
605 BC
BATTLE OF
CARCHAMESH
Temple Sacked!Later:
• BC 597 & 587 Revolts
• Crushed ‘Deported’
Where is ‘Yahweh’ ?
Mars Marduk
To King David: Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’” 2 Samuel 7:16
Where is ‘Yahweh’ ?‘Eternal!’‘Empire’
Human ‘Sovereignty’Powered by
Death
Where is ‘Yahweh’ ?‘Eternal!’Daniel: ‘The Future’
Glorious Kingdoms!Each Will CollapseKing Messiah Lasts
PROVEN TRUE
To King David: Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’” 2 Samuel 7:16
‘American Empire’
THE NEWEST‘FOREVER-KINGDOM’
‘American Empire’
THE NEWEST‘FOREVER-KINGDOM’
Pressures
PopulationsResource Shortages
Economic StrainEcological Disaster
Technology UpheavalsW.M.D. ProliferationEnemies Big & Small
The Weak Empires1 John 2:17 The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is dying…
The Weak Empires1 John 2:17 The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is dying…
A Savage KosmosGoverned by Death• Death reigned from Adam until
Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam…(Romans 5:14 )Enslaved by Death
• …only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
• John 12:31 “…the ruler of this world…”
• John 8:44 the devil…was a murderer from the beginning.
From the ‘god’ of death
• 1 John 2:17 The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is [dying] (the MSG)
A Realm of Greed & Death
DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY
The king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace…” Daniel 1:3-4
Groomed For ‘Leadership’ Taken by Force To Be Babylonian
Rulers
DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY
Daniel 1:4-7 “…Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.”
Groomed For ‘Leadership’ Taken by Force To Be Babylonian Rulers Indoctrinated
DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY
Daniel 1:4-7 The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service. .
Groomed For ‘Leadership’ Taken by Force To Be Babylonian Rulers Indoctrinated Bribed Intimidated /
Persecuted
DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY
Daniel 1:4-7 …The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names:• Daniel was called
Belteshazzar.• Hananiah was called
Shadrach.• Mishael was called
Meshach.• Azariah was called
Abednego
Groomed For ‘Leadership’ Taken by Force To Be Babylonian Rulers Indoctrinated Bribed Intimidated / Persecuted New Identities
DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY
Groomed For ‘Leadership’
Respectful Non-Conformist Works & Goes to
‘School’
Daniel 1:8-10 But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.
DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY
Daniel 1:8-10 But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.
Groomed For ‘Leadership’
Respectful Non-Conformist Works & Goes to ‘School’ Respectfully Refuses
Bribes
DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY
Daniel 1:9 Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials…
Groomed For ‘Leadership’
Respectful Non-Conformist
Gains Godly Authority Granted By God
DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY
Daniel 1:9 Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials…
Groomed For ‘Leadership’
Respectful Non-Conformist
Gains Godly Authority Granted By God By “Favor &
Compassion”
DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY
Daniel 1:10 the commander of the officials said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king…you would make me forfeit my head!" …
Groomed For ‘Leadership’
Respectful Non-Conformist
Gains Godly Authority Granted By God By “Favor & Compassion” Unafraid: a “Bigger
Boss”
‘The Freedom of TRUTH’“TRUTH will set you free.” John 8:32
DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY
Daniel 1:12-13 “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.”
Groomed For ‘Leadership’
Respectful Non-Conformist
Gains Godly Authority Granted By God By “Favor & Compassion” Unafraid: a “Bigger Boss” Wise, Practical, Useful
DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY
Daniel 1:15 At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king.
Groomed For ‘Leadership’
Respectful Non-Conformist
Gains Godly Authority Wildly Successful!
“God Invades Babylon”
605 BC Daniel Arrives
Gains Authority
587 BC Exiles Arrive
God Confronts a Savage WorldThe mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 2 Thessalonians 2:7
‘Death’ Restraine
dBy God
God’s People
New Life Eternal
God’s Salvati
on
“They were all in love with dying”
…all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. (Hebrews 2:14-15)
God Confronts a Savage WorldDeath
Restrained
By God
God’s People
New Life Eternal
God’s Salvati
on
Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
God Confronts a Savage WorldDeath
Restrained
By God
God’s People
New Life Eternal
God’s Salvati
on
Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
BE Differen
t
Able to Sacrific
e
DESPITE
Pressures
God Confronts a Savage WorldDeath
Restrained
By God
God’s People
New Life Eternal
God’s Salvati
on
Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
BE Differen
t
Able to Sacrific
e
DESPITE
Pressures
Authority By Character
God Confronts the Savage WorldDeath
Restrained
By God
God’s People
New Life Eternal
God’s Salvati
on
And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; Revelation 14:6
Need to communicate:• The Pressures:
• Indoctrination, domination, intimidation, bribery, conformity, persecution, discomfort.
• I.e., submit to this authority.• The Path of Non-Conformity
• The prisoner who takes Babylon captive.• Respectful, must be above reproach.• Answers to a different authority.• Is not subject to the same rules.• Lived in freedom wherever he went.• No way to dominate Daniel.• Determined at a young age.
• Thus: everyone else melted away, Daniel & Co. stands strong today.
Can you:1. Be Different?2. Be Willing to Sacrifice?3. Disregard immediate
reward?