Daniel

The book of Daniel.

1. Daniel and Friends in Babylon

However, even in the time of captivity, God raised up skillful young men of learning who could act shrewdly within the empire.

Daniel 1:17:

As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom.

We should ask ourselves how faithful Christians pursue wisdom that is greater than the “magicians” and “enchanters” of our day. There are many people who will line up to tell the authorities what they want to hear. But if Christians are willing to speak the truth, it is possible to outdo the unbelievers in wisdom and understanding.

There are times when God places his people within an empire of unbelievers, like Joseph under Pharaoh or Daniel under Nebuchadnezzar. By acting with wisdom and faithfulness, they can not only be a blessing to the empire that they serve within, but also a witness to God’s glory at the heights of world power. Once again, God’s people were in slavery, yet even in bondage he gives them opportunities for honor and authority. God intends for his people to govern.

Of course, it wasn’t a straight shot to positions of influence for Daniel and the scribes of Judah, even though they got the best grades and gave the best dream interpretation. You’re no doubt familiar with the stories of them refusing to worship the golden image and refusing to stop worshiping the God of Israel. They made many enemies and had many people trying to use their religious convictions as a way to destroy them. Through their faithful witness the kings of Babylon were humbled and brought to give glory to God.

2. Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream Interpreted

One of the dreams of Nebuchadnezzar that Daniel interpreted foretold of the coming glory and authority of Christ:

Daniel 2:31 “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. 32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. 37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold. 39 Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 40 And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. 41 And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. 44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”

There are differing interpretations about what specific kingdoms this dream foretold, but generally the different parts of the statue are thought to mean the succession of empires after Nebuchadnezzar: Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. The final stone is, of course, Jesus Christ — the cornerstone — the stone cut by no human hand. His kingdom is the kingdom that shall never be destroyed, and that is us! There may be empires built by men all around us but we trust in the stone that will overcome all of them.

True believers building their lives on the foundation of Christ are a fulfillment of this ancient Chaldean prophecy from thousands of years ago. And we live in hope that it will reach its fullness in our resurrection. This is one more instance where Christianity is so commonplace in culture that people don’t realize how glorious and shocking its beliefs are — the most powerful ancient empires of the mediterranean were torn apart again and again, but the people of God remain through it all, true to these prophecies.

7. Daniel’s Vision of Beasts

Daniel 7 - The Son of Man Is Given Dominion

13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one  that shall not be destroyed.

Daniel's Vision Interpreted

15 “As for me, Daniel, my spirit within me was anxious, and the visions of my head alarmed me. 16 I approached one of those who stood there and asked him the truth concerning all this. So he told me and made known to me the interpretation of the things. 17 ‘These four great beasts are four kings who shall arise out of the earth. 18 But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom forever, forever and ever.’

19 “Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, 20 and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. 21 As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

Christians disagree when the time will come that the saints will possess the kingdoms of the earth. Some believe it is in this life, pointing to the many Christian kingdoms that have existed since the early church; many believe it is after, believing those Christian kingdoms to be compromised by sin and impermanent. These are important debates to have — after all, we wouldn’t want to be confusing God’s kingdom for the horns of a Beast. However, what is crucial is that we not forget what we are ultimately called to — Jesus. He reigns, and he is bringing a kingdom to us. We need to spend our lives preparing to receive it, whether you believe it will be in this life or the next.

Key Take Aways

Daniel is a model of how to be a faithful witness when held captive in a hostile empire.

Daniel foretold of the kingdom that Jesus would be given, and this kingdom belongs to us.

Discussion Questions

What’s the golden image of our day? What do people expect us to bow down and reverence in place of God?

In what ways do we possess the kingdoms of the earth in this life? Or is that something that will only take place after the resurrection?