Lessons From Daniel

I have to admit that my mind spins when I try to absorb the details of these visions and the interpretations of them.  I am having a hard time relating, so I decided to look for some specific reasons God used Daniel in such a powerful way.  Here goes...

Daniel fasted.
We have been learning about fasting and prayer in recent weeks at Oak Hill.  In chapter 10 of Daniel, we see a great example of fasting by Daniel.  He fasted for a set period of time (3 weeks) and refrained from choice foods, meat, wine, and lotions.  The purpose of this time was for Daniel to mourn and seek God's understanding of the revelation about a great war.

Daniel stood alone.
In verse 10:7, we learn that when God revealed to Daniel the vision of a man, Daniel was with other people.  Those people could not see the vision, but they feared... feared what?  I wonder what they sensed, felt, or possibly heard.  Or were they just reacting to Daniel?  I wonder if they feared simply because the Lord was present.  Even though the others left, Daniel stayed and listened because he knew he was called to.

Daniel listened.
Through fasting, he had prepared himself to receive the understanding from God.  He was humbled ("I bowed with my face to the ground and was speechless") and obedient ("I stood up trembling").  He spoke only when the man of his vision touched his lips.

Daniel relied on God's strength.
Daniel mentions several times chapter 10 that he had no strength.  Daniel was encouraged by God.  Through this vision of a man, God tells Daniel, "you who are highly esteemed."  That's my kind of encouragement!  Through these words, Daniel was strengthened.

Through this vision that God gave to Daniel, we hear of kings pursuing greatness for themselves through lying, stealing, flattery, building great armies, and lifting themselves up to a status of their gods.  Mixed in these descriptions of end times, God conveys that the corrupt "last days" are only for a little while.  The vain efforts of selfish, worldly leaders are futile and result in destruction.  This is comforting to me and a reminder that this earth with it's worldly leaders is not my home.  In contrast to the destruction of the kings and their efforts, God promises that His people will be delivered. He knows His children are not perfect, but gives us these promises to claim:

"Some of the wise will stumble, 

so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless

until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time."
~Daniel 11:35

"Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, 

and those who lead many to righteousness, 

like the starts for ever and ever."
~Daniel 12:3

Lord, help me to remember that this earth is not my home.  Help me to place my trust in you and to keep my eyes on spending eternity with you.  Continue to refine and purify me.  Thank you for Daniel, his obedience, willingness to be used by you, and the lessons we've learned through him.  May we follow Daniel's example and press on in our walks with you during this short time so we will finish strong!

DREAM ON DANIEL, DREAM ON

Chapters 1-6 of Daniel are in chronological order. Starting in Chapter 7 that is no longer true. Chapter 7 is about a dream Daniel had in 563BC which was the first year of the Belshazzar's reign. The beast in his dream represents kingdoms. The lion refers to Babylon, the beast is the Medo-Persian Empire, the leopard is Greece, the fourth beast with the iron teeth is the Roman Empire. The ten horns on the fourth beast are ten different kings. A smaller horn comes out of the ten horns which will overpower the saints and will rule for a time, times and a half a time (3 1/2 years). The Ancient of days will then pass judgment in favor of the saints who will take possession of the kingdoms putting an end to the ruling of the little horn.

We know Daniel is known for his dreams, visions and interpretations. In Chapter 8, however, Daniel has a vision that he cannot understand. God then tells Gabriel to explain this vision to Daniel. Gabriel tells Daniel that this vision is about the end times. This vision takes place in the third year of Belshazzar's reign. In this chapter the ram represents the king of Media and Persia. The goat is the kingdom of Greece. It is important here to note that the Greek Empire happened two hundred five years after Daniel. Verse 8 tells of the death of Alexander the Great and the division of the Greek Empire into four parts. Ptolemy from the South took Egypt. From the East Seleucus took Syria. Cassander from the West took Greece and Lysimachus from the North took Asia Minor.

In Leviticus we find that for a time span of 490 years the Israelites did not give the land the sabbath rest so they owed God 70 Sabbaths which is equal to 70 years. By the time Darius became king 67 of those years have passed. Chapter 9 takes place in 539BC with three years left of the captivity of the people of Jerusalem. In this chapter it is talking of the end times.

God opens Daniel's eyes to future happenings through dreams and visions so that he could be a witness for Him and to help others to understand God's power, might and love. To us it says God's promises to Israel has never failed and it will not fail us either. We know God's word is true.

Do you see the "writing on the wall"?

This book is one of the most complex and amazing books in the entire Bible!  We could EASILY spend months studying it in depth and learning about all of the many incredible aspects of this faith-filled book.  Jaybrena did a WONDERFUL job of opening up with the first three chapters yesterday.  At the end of her post, she posed an interesting thought about whether or not King Neb (as I like to call him for short) would remain faithful to the one true God.  Chapter 4 opens up with him praising the "Most High God".  Then this chapter goes into ANOTHER disturbing dream that King Neb was having about a tree.  God REALLY spoke to this crazy man through dreams and he just never quite got the message.  My favorite part of this dream is when it talks about the stump in verse 23.  The Bible states, "...but leave the stump with its roots in the ground and with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field."  I will never forget what Beth Moore said in her amazing study on this book about this particular part of this dream.  She taught that God might "cut" us down to a stump at different times in our lives for different reasons, but that He would leave a stump with the roots down deep.  And while He was "pruning" us back, HE would protect us with "iron and bronze" so that tender stump would NOT be destroyed, but would grow back into a beautiful, flourishing tree.  Have you ever been a "stump" for the Lord?  I know I have and He has been faithful to protect me and to grow me back into a glorious tree that is "planted" in Him! 

 This same dream predicted that King Neb would become VERY prideful again and would thus become a wild animal and be driven away from all people.  The Lord WILL humble the proud as His Word states over and over again.  And that is exactly what He did to King Neb.  We can do it the hard way or the easy way, but it WILL be done.  So which way is your choice...the easy way or the hard way?  Then King Neb once again praises the Most High God.  This man is as lukewarm as they come.  God will vomit you out of His mouth if you are lukewarm!!!

Enter King Belshazzar at the beginning of chapter 5.  Another VERY proud and arrogant king, but this one does not even pretend to honor the Most High God as King Neb did.  The study notes in my Bible tells me that King Bel would have been old enough to remember what had happened to King Neb and the horrible process that he experienced during the humbling process.  Yet this does not phase King Bel at all.  He was SO FULL of pride and arrogance that this king actually takes the items that were taken from the temple in Jerusalem and uses them to have a party!  Enter the Hand of God!  His hand actually writes on the wall for ALL to see these words, "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN"  These are three Aramaic words which mean, "NUMBERED", "WEIGHED", and "DIVIDED", respectively.  Daniel comes in to interpret this dream once again and tells King Bel EXACTLY what to expect.  His days are numbered, he has been found deficient, and his kingdom will be divided.  By the end of that night King Bel was dead.  God WILL NOT be mocked or blasphemed!  Sometimes, His justice is delivered immediately.  Make no mistake that God's justice WILL be delivered!  On which side of His justice are you? 

Enter King Darius in chapter 6.  Again, he is VERY prideful, but at least he ends up acknowledging God for who He is.  Because of Daniel's faithfulness to the Lord, he is thrown into a den with a bunch of hungry lions (these folks really came up with creative ways to kill people in some very painful, horrible ways!).  But God sent an angel to close the mouths of the lions and Daniel was unharmed.  So my question to you is this...have you ever been surrounded by a bunch of "hungry lions" and had God protect you from them?  Have people ever desired to harm you or to hurt you but you found yourself under His protection and He "closed the mouths of the lions"?  I hope you do have His protection, because we WILL find ourselves among "hungry lions" in this world.  If we are doing what we are supposed to be doing as Christians, we SHOULD find ourselves among "hungry lions"!

**I thought this chart might help you get a "big picture" of where the book of Daniel fits into the history timeline.  We are in the Age of the Gentiles or the Church Age.  Come quickly Lord Jesus!!!