Let's turn our attention now to the book of Daniel.
We're going to spend our time this summer in this book.
It is one of my favorites, as you can probably know,
based upon one of the names of my children.
Daniel just shines from the pages of the Old Testament
as one who is devoted to God.
And what may not be clear
on the surface of this text
that while it may be speaking about the events
that are happening in Babylon,
it may be speaking of this character,
Daniel and his three friends,
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
Really, behind all of this is the message of God.
Behind all of this is the testimony
of God's sovereign hand
to preserve His people,
to allow the light of Israel
to shine among the nations
and to capture a heart.
I believe we're going to find in Daniel chapter 4
of God working instrumentally
through these young men
and the testimony of their faith in God
to be a model and a witness
of the gospel, as it were,
a testimony of who God is,
the God of heaven,
in drawing Nebuchadnezzar
and his subjects to faith in Christ,
faith in God.
Open, if you would, please,
to Daniel chapter 1.
If you're using the Pew Bible,
it's on page 737.
I've often wondered if,
like Timothy,
Daniel also had a mother
or a father
who was instrumental
in building faith in him
and establishing him
for this special purpose.
This morning we're going to see
the faithfulness of God
shining through this passage today
in Daniel chapter 1,
verses 1 to 7.
So if you're there,
please follow along with me
as I read just the first verse.
Daniel chapter 1, verse 1.
It says this,
In the third year
of the reign of Jehoiakim,
king of Judah,
Nebuchadnezzar,
king of Babylon,
came to Jerusalem
and besieged it.
Now on the surface,
of course,
the events that are unfolding
in front of us
are the names of a king
or kingdoms
and the situation
that is taking place.
But hidden behind this
is the history of words
and the history
of God's testimony
and his faithfulness
for his people.
I just want to draw
your attention to this
as we begin our time today.
We see, first of all,
that God is faithful
to give his word.
God is faithful
to give his word.
Of course,
we're no longer
in first century Israel.
As we were studying
through the gospel of Luke.
We're no longer
even in Israel
or Jerusalem.
We're not speaking
the Greek language.
We're in Babylon here.
This is our new situation.
And this is some 600 years
before Christ
will walk the earth.
And about 400 years
after King David
reigned as king.
We find ourselves
in this book of Daniel.
Daniel,
which is kind of a mix
of history
and prophecy.
The first six chapters
are devoted
to kind of the story
of Daniel
and the life
of he and his friends.
All those familiar stories
that we have grown up
learning as children.
But then the last half
of this book
is about prophecy.
The apocalypse.
It's about these vivid
pictures of future kingdoms.
We're going to center
our study
during this summer
just in the first six
chapters of this book
so we can draw attention
to Daniel
and his faith in God
and how God works
through Daniel
to draw the heart
of a king
to himself.
Daniel is the author
of Daniel
which may seem
a bit confusing
in the first six chapters
because he refers
to himself
kind of in the third person
but then as we move
our way to chapter 7
through 12
we'll begin to see
more often
that Daniel
refers to himself
in the first person.
He uses I
and me.
In Daniel chapter 12
verse 4
we find
this statement
but you,
Daniel,
shut up the words
and seal the book
until the time
of the end.
Daniel
as the author
of this book.
He's writing about
600 years
before Christ
and he focuses
his attention
in these first
couple of verses
on the situation
of Israel
and the situation
in history.
In the third year
of the reign
of Jehoiakim.
Who was Jehoiakim?
And I just want to
provide just a quick
and brief introduction
to try to get us
into the flow
of this narrative.
2 Kings 23
36 to 37
provides just a
commentary
on this
one of the last
kings of Judah.
It says
Jehoiakim
was 25 years old
when he began
to reign
and he reigned
11 years
in Jerusalem.
His mother's name
was Zebediah
the daughter
of Padiah
and Ruma
and he did
what was evil
in the sight
of the Lord
according to all
that his fathers
had done.
I just want to
draw your attention
to those last
two phrases.
He did what was evil
in the sight of the Lord.
He rebelled
against God.
He did not set
his affection
on the God
of heaven
on the God
of Abraham
Isaac and Jacob.
He decided
to follow his own
course which was
against the standard
that God had set.
But it was something
that his fathers
had done.
It was part of the
course of the
final years
of the kings
of Judah
the rebellion
against God.
So we find
for Jehoiakim's
son
who's Jehoiakin
we find
this commentary
in 2 Kings 24
verses 13 and 16.
So Nebuchadnezzar
he carried off
all the treasures
of the house
of the Lord
and the treasures
of the king's house
and cut in pieces
all the vessels
of gold
in the temple
of the Lord
which Solomon
king of Israel
had made
as the Lord
had foretold.
He carried away
all Jerusalem
and all the officials
and all the mighty
men of valor
10,000 captives
and all the craftsmen
and the smiths
none remained
except the poorest
people of the land.
And he carried away
Jehoiakim
to Babylon
the king's mother
the king's wives
the officials
and the chief men
of the land
he took into captivity
from Jerusalem
to Babylon.
And the king of Babylon
brought captives
to Babylon
all the men of valor
7,000
and the craftsmen
and the metal workers
a thousand
all of them
strong and fit
for war.
The best
of the best
were taken
from Jerusalem
to Babylon
and Daniel
would have been
part of that
first wave
of captivity
around 597 B.C.
Why did all
of this happen?
Well it happened
because of what
we find in verse 20.
For because
of the anger
of the Lord
it came to the point
in Jerusalem
and Judah
that he cast
them out
from his presence
and Zedekiah
rebelled against
the king
of Babylon.
This hadn't been
this hadn't happened
for no reason
it happened
because of
the explicit
word of God
in sending
prophets
to Jerusalem
and to Judah
to warn them
about his standard.
This passage
is a little lengthy
and so I want
to encourage you
to turn to
2 Chronicles
with me.
2 Chronicles
36
beginning in
verse 12
if you're using
the Pew Bible
it's on page
388
it would be
beneficial for you
to see this
for yourself
so you can
even underline
the portions
of scripture
that deal
with the
faithfulness
of God
as it relates
to giving
his word.
Notice in
verse 12
it says
speaking of
the kings
of Judah
he did
what was
right
excuse me
what was evil
in the sight
of the Lord
is God
he did
not humble
himself
before
Jeremiah
the prophet
who spoke
from the mouth
of the Lord
he also rebelled
against King
Nebuchadnezzar
who made him
swear by God
he stiffened
his neck
and hardened
his heart
against
turning to
the Lord
the God
of Israel
now drop
down to
verse 15
the Lord
the God
of their
fathers
sent
persistently
to them
by his
messengers
because he
had compassion
on his
people
in his
dwelling place
but they
kept
mocking
the messengers
of God
despising
the words
his words
and scoffing
at his
prophets
until the
wrath of the
Lord
rose against
his people
until there
was no
remedy
God
faithfully
sent
his word
God
faithfully
consistently
generation
after generation
prophet
after prophet
warned his
people
to obey
and so
what we
find in
this
first
couple
of verses
that
Jehoiakim
and the
people who
were living
in Judah
and Jerusalem
are not
just
captives
and not
just
subjects
of circumstance
but under
the divine
hand of
God
are experiencing
now the
consequences
of this
faithful
word of
God
that he
has sent
them
over
and over
again
God
had given
faithful
warnings
to his
people
God
was
a faithful
God
to send
his message
through his
messengers
and as we
turn to
verse 2
and 7
of Daniel
chapter 1
now coming
back to
Daniel
not only
is God
faithful
to give
his word
but we
find that
he's faithful
to keep
his word
and we're
going to
find that
in our
passage
in a
number
of
different
ways
God
is
faithful
to
keep
his
word
the
very
first
picture
of God's
faithfulness
is found
in verse 2
notice
the Lord
gave
Jehoiakim
king of
Judah
into his
hand
with some
of the
vessels
of the
house
of God
and he
brought
them
to the
land
of
Shinar
to the
house
of his
God
and placed
the vessels
in the
treasury
of his
God
how is
God
faithful
in verse 2
how would
you fill
in this
blank
well God
is faithful
to punish
his people
God
is faithful
to bring
punishment
on his
people
we can
rejoice
in a
God who
is faithful
to keep
his word
even
when
that word
leads
to our
own
discipline
and God
is setting
the trajectory
God is
helping
his people
understand
if he
is faithful
to keep
his word
to punish
his people
he will
also be
faithful
to keep
his word
to bring
back
his people
back to
the land
of
Judah
which is
what's
going to
happen
in 70
years
from the
beginning
of this
captivity
God is
establishing
himself
as a
faithful
God
to keep
his word
and he
does this
by punishing
his people
this word
the Lord
gave
Jehoiakim
king of
Judah
into his
hand
is the
word
delivered
it's the
word
to describe
God
giving them
over
he is the
one who
is sovereignly
involved
in the
events
that we
find
on the
pages
of
Daniel
chapter
one
it wasn't
Nebuchadnezzar's
military
might
or brilliance
that brought
about the
downfall
of Jerusalem
it wasn't
his prestige
or power
or strategic
genius
that allowed
him to
conquer
the known
world
it was
the hand
of God
and by
his power
permitting
Nebuchadnezzar
to do
these things
there are
details
that we
don't have
time to
cover
this morning
but it's
not a
coincidence
that we
find
in our
passage
this morning
a reference
to the
land of
Shinar
notice that
in the
second half
of verse
2
he brought
them to
the land
of Shinar
to the
house of
his God
and placed
the vessels
in the
treasury
of his
God
the last
time this
word was
used
the
reference
to
Shinar
goes all
the way
back to
Genesis
chapter 11
and if you
remember the
details that
take place
there in
Shinar
this is where
the people
assembled
to build
a tower
to God
in a place
of Babel
this is the
birthplace
of Babylon
this is the
location where
the first
showdown
really
of a
religious
people who
were internally
religious
and seeking
to get to
the God
of their
own
making
are matched
and confronted
by the
one true
God
the God
who
helps them
understand
his
supremacy
helps them
come to
terms
with who
he really
is as
the God
of all
here we
are again
back in
Shinar
where God
is going
to demonstrate
his
faithfulness
his
faithfulness
to a
people
not only
to punish
but also
to preserve
and that's
what we
find in
verses 3
to 5
God
not only
punishes
his
people
God
preserves
his
people
the grace
of God
will be
so prominent
as we read
through
these first
six chapters
of Daniel
I trust
it will
encourage
your heart
Judah
at this
point
is now
taken
captive
10,000
captives
from Jerusalem
are making
their way
or have made
their way
to Babylon
they're under
discipline
but through
the narrative
of Daniel
we're going
to find
God's
loyal
subjects
are blessed
they're
thriving
in the land
Daniel
and his
friends
are thriving
in a place
of discipline
that's
a picture
of God's
preservation
on them
we see
the Lord
in his
hand
written
across
especially
this first
chapter
let me
just briefly
draw your
attention
to it
we saw
it already
in verse
2
where the
Lord
gave
but drop
down to
verse 9
we're going
to pick
this up
next week
and we'll
see
and God
gave
Daniel
favor
and compassion
in the sight
of the chief
of the eunuchs
God is
working
instrumentally
God is
the one
who's
over all
God is
the one
who's moving
the hands
and the
activities
of those
who are
responsible
then in
Daniel chapter
1 verse 17
notice
as for
these four
God gave
them learning
and skill
in all literature
and wisdom
and Daniel
and understanding
and all visions
and dreams
God is preserving
his people
these
descendants
of Abraham
God
is
setting
his
affection
on them
God
is
blessing
them
and
allowing
them
to flourish
even in
this land
of captivity
of course
he does
this
according
to his
word
Jeremiah
23
verse 3
God
states
to Jeremiah
I will gather
the remnant
of my
flock
out of
all the
countries
where I
have
driven
them
and I
will
bring
them
back
to
their
fold
and
they
shall
be
fruitful
and multiply
God
had set
his
people
apart
he was
preserving
them
for himself
and
we see
the way
in which
God
is working
through
Daniel
and through
his
three
friends
to preserve
them
in this
place
so that
he can
draw
them
back
as well
as
many
others
as we'll
find
in
the book
of Ezra
we look
at this
testimony
of these
young men
and we're
challenged
by their
courage
as they
stand
for God
but written
behind
all of
this
is the
hand
of God
who is
instrumentally
working
through
these
young
men
but notice
the shift
in language
that takes
place
once we
get to
verse
three
this
hand
of
God
will
now
work
its
way
alongside
the
hand
of
men
this
assumed
power
of
men
as
Nebuchadnezzar
will
exert
his
supposed
authority
we're
going to
see
this
interplay
not only
through
this
chapter
but also
through
the
remaining
chapters
the
king
wants
to
exert
himself
the
king
wants
to
establish
that
he's
the
authority
and we
find
throughout
the
book
of
Daniel
that
God
will
demonstrate
that he
is
the
one
true
transcendent
sovereign
and ultimate
authority
over life
but in
verse three
we find
how this
plays out
we find
then the
king
commanded
Ashpenaz
his
chief
eunuch
to bring
some
of the
people
of
Israel
both
of
the
royal
family
and
nobility
used
without
blemish
of good
appearance
and
skillful
in all
wisdom
endowed
with
knowledge
understanding
learning
and competent
to stand
in the
king's
palace
and to
teach
them
the
literature
in the
language
of the
Chaldeans
then in
verse
five
so
then the
king
assigned
them
a daily
portion
of the
food
that the
king
ate
and of
the
wine
that
he
drank
they
were
to be
educated
for three
years
and at
the
end
of
that
time
they
were
to
stand
before
the
king
Nebuchadnezzar
seeking
to establish
himself
as the
authority
of
Babylon
as the
authority
of the
known
world
we're
going
to see
that
authority
the
true
authority
the
authority
of
God
who
plays
in
and
through
the
rest
of
the
story
throughout
Daniel
it
didn't
matter
that
the
king
commanded
it
didn't
matter
that
the
king
appointed
God
is
the
one
who
is
working
instrumentally
behind
the
scenes
to
cause
the
results
that
he
wants
to
cause
and
to
put
his
men
in
place
the
city
of
Babylon
was
a
foreboding
city
unlike
anything
that
Jews
had
ever
seen
before
Babylon
was
the
largest
city
in
the
known
world
covering
about
four
square
miles
this
massive
river
the
river
Euphrates
would
flow
through
this
old
city
and
of
course
the
tradition
of
the
hanging
gardens
one
of
the
seven
wonders
of
the
world
was
supposedly
there
in
Babylon
the
walls
of
the
city
were
massive
so
that
Greek
historians
claimed
that
Babylon
surpassed
in
wonder
any
city
in
the
known
world
the
walls
he said
were
56
miles
in
circumference
80
feet
thick
and
320
feet
high
now
that
is
likely
an
exaggeration
but it
gives you
the sense
of the
foreboding
and
intimidation
of this
structure
in the
minds
of those
who lived
during
that day
it
was
an
impenetrable
city
it
was
a
tribute
to
the
power
and
the
supposed
glory
of
Babylon
and
of
Nebuchadnezzar
as the
king
so to
be
in
that
city
as a
captive
and
then to
be
given
this
unique
opportunity
to
stand
in
the
court
of
the
king
to
be
an
influence
for
an
empire
was
an
unimaginable
honor
Nebuchadnezzar
issues
this
command
selects
these
group
of
captives
and
notice
here
at the
end
of
verse
3
and
4
what
are
the
criteria
to
bring
the
people
of
Israel
both
of
the
royal
family
and
of
nobility
which
means
that
he
is
gathering
from
the
captives
of
Israel
and
he
is
gathering
those
specifically
from
Judah
and
those
who
were
of
nobility
which
means
that
Daniel
and
his
three
friends
were
likely
from
the
royal
family
were
likely
a
part
of
the
nobility
there
in
Judah
the fact
that they
were
young
men
is
a
designation
for
those
who
were
boys
and
educated
in
the
land
about
14
years
of
age
Nebuchadnezzar
wanted
these
young
men
to be
teachable
to be
pliable
to be
willing
to learn
new
things
Daniel
and
his
friends
were
also
required
to be
in
good
physical
health
and
the
word
that's
used
here
is
without
defect
which
reminds
us
of the
same
criteria
that was
used
for
priests
they
could
not
have
a
blemish
or
defect
so
Daniel
so
Daniel
and
his
friends
were
without
blemish
without
defect
it
speaks
of
their
intelligence
showing
aptitude
not
just
the
expanse
of
knowledge
that
they
had
but
their
aptitude
and
ability
to
learn
and
to
retain
new
things
they
were
quick
to
understand
of
course
they
would
learn
to
speak
and
write
in
the
languages
of
the
day
in
Hebrew
and
Aramaic
and
Persian
one
might
wonder
why
these
descriptions
are
given
to
us
in
the
text
and
I
think
again
it
points
to
the
hand
of
God
in
preserving
these
men
in
setting
them
apart
for
himself
it
said
at
the
time
of
the
siege
of
Nebuchadnezzar
coming
against
Judah
in
Jerusalem
there
were
as
many
as
380,000
Jews
that
lived
in
Judah
and
Jerusalem
so
estimates
of
about
80,000
to
100,000
actually
living
in
Jerusalem
and
if
you
remember
how
many
captives
were
taken
we're
talking
about
10,000
captives
which is
about
two and
a half
percent
two and
a half
percent
of those
who were
living
in
Judah
in
Jerusalem
that
were
actually
taken
as
captives
to
Babylon
and
then
of
all
of
those
who
were
selected
out
of
the
captives
of
Judah
and
Jerusalem
to
stand
before
the
court
only
four
are
given
to
us
as
those
who
remained
loyal
and
committed
to
God
those
who
met
the
criteria
those
who
I
believe
God
selected
and rose
up
and
promoted
so they
could
carry
out
his
purposes
in
the
courts
of
Nebuchadnezzar
God
is behind
the events
of what
we read
and
through
this
we see
that
God
is
preserving
his
men
for
himself
and
finally
we find
in
verse
6
and
7
that
God
places
his
people
God
preserves
his
people
he
punishes
his
people
but
he
also
places
his
people
and
we
see
that
happening
here
in
verses
6
and
7
notice
with
me
among
those
were
Daniel
Hananiah
Mishael
and
Azariah
of the
tribe
of
Judah
and
the
chief
of
the
eunuchs
gave
them
names
Daniel
he
called
Belteshazzar
Hananiah
he
called
Shadrach
Mishael
he
called
Meshach
and
Azariah
he
called
Abednego
we
find
that
God
has
placed
his
people
his
young
men
in
the
right
place
at
the
right
time
and
each
of
their
names
draw
attention
to
the
God
that
they
serve
Daniel
whose
name
means
God
has
judged
Hananiah
whose
name
means
Yahweh
has
been
gracious
Mishael
who
says
who
is
what
God
is
and
Azariah
whose
name
means
Yahweh
has
helped
even
in
their
names
there
is
this
testimony
of
the
God
with
whom
they
serve
directing
attention
to
him
I
believe
that
God
has
done
this
for
a
reason
and
one
of
the
biggest
reasons
why
I
believe
God
has
done
this
is
not
only
to
save
a
remnant
for
himself
but
again
in
fulfillment
to
a
promise
that
he
had
given
hundreds
of
years
before
to a
man
named
Abraham
in
Genesis
chapter
12
verse
3
God
tells
Abraham
I
will
bless
those
who
bless
you
and
him
who
dishonors
you
I
will
curse
and
in
you
all
the
families
of
the
earth
shall
be
blessed
or
all
the
nations
shall
be
blessed
it's
just
amazing
to
see
the
work
of
God
in
instrumentally
in
the
events
and
circumstances
of the
world
and how
God
is using
even
discipline
to allow
his people
to move
to a
land
800
miles
away
this
heathen
empire
and he
places
instrumentally
Daniel and
his three
friends
to be
there
as a
means
of them
seeing
God
firsthand
of hearing
about the
God of
Abraham
Isaac
and Jacob
of seeing
his power
of coming
to understand
that he
truly is
the God
of heaven
which means
he's
overall
he's
supreme
he's
ultimate
using
Daniel and
his friends
as a
means by
which the
nations
might be
drawn in
to
relationship
with God
God has
given us
the opportunity
as well
as those
who love
God
have been
called
into
relationship
with God
wherever
we are
whether
you're
a mom
whether
you are
in the
workplace
or at
home
God
will use
you
and can
use
you
not only
to help
raise
children
but to
instrumentally
speak
and declare
the wonder
of who God
is
wherever you
are
dads
your
responsibility
to train
up your
children
in the
nurture
and admonition
of the
Lord
but also
wherever
you are
to use
the
opportunities
that you
have
with
integrity
to demonstrate
your commitment
to God
the ethic
that you
have
which
comes
from
God
himself
the
way
in which
you
work
and I'm
reminded
of us
working
heartily
as to
the Lord
and not
to men
so that
people
recognize
there's
something
different
about us
we can
share
the gospel
not only
through our
words
but also
through our
life
God
has placed
every one
of you
just
where he
wants you
to be
are we
taking
advantage
of the
opportunities
those
places
where you
live
those places
where you
work
those places
students
where you
go to
school
does your
life reflect
a commitment
to the
faithful
God
and a
desire
to
demonstrate
in your
own
heart
reflecting
his
faithfulness
through
dependability
and
obedience
to his
word
may God
help us
as we
seek to
direct
people's
attention
to the
wonder of
the God
that we
serve
and to
invite them
to enjoy
that same
relationship
that comes
through faith
in Christ
and forgiveness
of sins
oh Lord
I pray
that you
would help
us
thank you
for
the example
of Daniel
thank you
for the
words that
we read
this morning
from this
passage
thank you
for the
testimony
of the
fact that
you are
over all
and through
all
and in
all
situations
help us
to trust
you
moment
by moment
and to
take advantage
of the
opportunities
that you
give to
us
to proclaim
the praises
of him
who called
us out
of darkness
into his
marvelous
light
may we
call
attention
to our
faithful
God
through
faithful
lives
we pray
in Jesus
name
amen
God bless
you
have a great
week
miracle
!
miracle