Let me invite you to take out your copy of God's Word and turn to the book of Daniel.
There is no shame this morning in turning to your table of contents.
You'll find it between Ezekiel and Hosea.
While you're getting the artist to share a funny thought I had with you this morning,
sometimes the room is so quiet and it's amazing.
You go like, man, all these kids are in the room and it's so very quiet in here.
And sometimes the babies are so chatty.
And I think, I think, when you start paying attention,
because when they walk in, I think they look at each other like,
if you'll speak up, I'll speak up.
Like, we'll show them who's in charge.
Seems to be one of those mornings.
They're on the same rhythm this morning, aren't they?
Before I begin speaking about the book of Daniel,
I just want to remind you there's a few of them left out there.
I think 10 or so of these ESV scripture journals.
This is something we've been doing for a little while,
back when we started the book of Hebrews.
Great little resource.
It's got the text on one side and notes,
the spot for notes on the other.
So if you'd like to pick one of these up out there in the book nook,
if they run out, they're not expensive.
I think Amazon has them for six bucks.
We've got them out there for five,
so we're saving you a little.
But feel free to take one,
even if you don't have money today to pay for it.
You can owe us.
It'll be just fine.
We will trust you.
So if you'd like to grab one of those,
I want to encourage you to grab that out there in the hallway in the book nook.
Today, I'm simply going to preach a Daniel overview sermon.
I'm going to labor to give you a brief summary of the book of Daniel
as we are set to begin our study of it starting next Lord's Day.
We'll spend 10-ish weeks in the text.
I'll first give you a quick flyover of the entire book,
and then we will consider the three most prominent themes of the work.
So even as you have the book open in front of you,
I'm going to reference it at a number of times,
and I would encourage you to flip to those spots and see that text yourself.
But just keep in mind we're big picture, high flyover this morning.
So Daniel consists of 12 chapters,
and it is widely agreed that Daniel is its author.
It's not even really up for debate.
The first six chapters of it are historical narrative
and consist of six accounts, six different stories,
one for each chapter.
This is probably the part of Daniel you're most familiar with.
The final six chapters are predominantly visions that Daniel has about the future.
It is helpful that this work is largely, not entirely,
but largely written in chronological order.
The entire work takes place during the exile of the Jewish people
after the Babylonian sacking of Jerusalem in the 6th century BC.
The first four chapters occur during the reign of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar.
In chapter one, we learn of the famous story of the four young Hebrew boys
who refused to eat the defiled food of their captors
and end up prospering both in health and in position
because of their faithfulness.
In chapter two, king Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that he wants interpreted,
but to ensure that none of his wise men can fabricate the interpretation,
he insists that they tell him both the content of his dream
and the interpretation.
And their response to that is,
that's impossible.
How could we know?
So they're unable to do so,
but God makes Daniel able to do so.
In chapter three, we have the famous story
of the king's great idol that Daniel's friends refuse to worship.
So Nebuchadnezzar throws them into the fiery furnace,
but God is merciful to them and they survive.
Chapter four, Nebuchadnezzar writes a letter to his whole empire
praising God in response to what happened in chapter three,
but then it seems across a bit of time,
he becomes very proud
and God through an illness humbles the king.
In chapter five,
Belshazzar, who is Nebuchadnezzar's son,
is now king
and we are told of a riotous feast he holds for pagan gods.
In fact, they take vessels that were taken out of the temple in Jerusalem
and they're drinking wine.
They're getting drunk out of those vessels,
which were meant for the worship of God.
And so a hand appears and writes on a wall,
a language nobody understands.
And Daniel is called upon to interpret the writing.
He tells the king that he has been weighed in the balance
and found wanting.
And that night, Belshazzar is slain.
Chapter six contains the most famous story from Daniel.
Daniel, Darius the Mede is now king
and he issues an edict that he alone is to be prayed to.
Daniel continues to pray to the Hebrew God,
to our God,
and he's therefore thrown into a den of lions.
Interestingly, this is toward the end of Daniel's life.
He's likely about 80.
I don't know that many of us have seen a story Bible
with a picture of Daniel in his 80s
in the lion's den.
And then you likely know that God mercifully spares his life
from those lions.
Chapters seven and eight contain visions Daniel has
during the reign of King Belshazzar
about the rise and fall of earthly kingdoms.
So it's prophetic,
but that prophecy has been fulfilled.
Chapter nine is a record of a long prayer
prayed by Daniel during the reign of Darius.
Possibly one of those very prayers he was praying
when he's taken captive and thrown into the lion's den.
And then chapters 10, 11, and 12
are the most challenging chapters of the book.
And they present another vision of Daniel's
about the end of this age.
So they're prophetic,
but yet to be fulfilled,
most will argue.
So this is a big and broad overview
of the entire book.
This morning, I want to present to you
the three major themes of the book of Daniel, right?
So we're setting up framework for ourselves.
If you're a guest this morning
and you're from out of town,
I apologize that you won't be able to hear
the rest of what we'll be doing.
But certainly for those of you
who are here regularly,
take some good notes.
Have these themes in your mind
as we study the rest of this work.
So those three major themes are,
number one, the rise and fall of man.
Number two, the immovable sovereignty of God.
And number three, the resilient faith of Daniel
and his friends in a hostile culture.
The resilient faith of Daniel and his friends
in a hostile culture.
So the first theme, the rise and fall of man.
A careful study of Daniel, which we intend to do,
will teach us that God raises up men
and God brings men low.
The story of Daniel is set in the context
of a Babylonian renaissance.
Under King Nebuchadnezzar's reign,
the Babylonian empire flourished
after a thousand year decline.
He had really turned the empire around.
Country after country fell to its military might
and it reached its largest size during this time.
In the region, there was just a domino.
They just conquered and conquered and conquered.
And Nebuchadnezzar is not just famous
for the stories that we find in Daniel,
but much was written about him
in an extra-biblical literature.
So in my note writing this week,
I often have to teach pages,
the names, Bible names.
Pages already knew the name Nebuchadnezzar.
I did not have to teach it that
so it would not spell check it any longer.
Like lots of extra-biblical literature
writes of this historic character, Nebuchadnezzar.
He was a big deal in his time.
And he was not only concerned with military might,
but also cultural renewal.
He was zealous to make the city of Babylon great,
and he did.
It was massive.
The Greek historian Herodotus said,
in addition to its enormous size,
it surpasses in splendor any city of the known world.
The city had large gates and avenues,
a new palace,
and as many as 50 temples built to false gods.
This is the days of the hanging gardens of Babylon,
if you know your ancient wonders of the world.
We get a picture of Nebuchadnezzar's pride in the city
in Daniel chapter 4 and verse 30,
where he says,
is not this great Babylon,
which I have built by my mighty power
as a royal residence
and for the glory of my majesty.
But Nebuchadnezzar's life came to an end.
He did all of this,
and it came to an end.
And the city itself also is a memory.
He is a distant memory,
and the splendor of Babylon is no more.
His reign was followed by another,
and another,
and so on.
Kings are raised up by our God,
and they are brought low by our God,
as it is with all men.
So we obviously,
none of us have positions of power
like Nebuchadnezzar
or any of the kings that followed him.
But in the same way,
we are brought high,
we are promoted,
and we are brought low.
We are humbled by God.
Nebuchadnezzar himself has a dream
in chapter 2
of a man made up of different materials.
And when the man is struck by a rock,
it cannot withstand the blow,
but it crumbles.
It's utterly destroyed
by this rock that strikes it.
In the last days,
all the kingdoms of this world
will be as nothing
when God establishes
his everlasting kingdom.
Daniel chapter 2
and verse 44.
Daniel,
in his interpretation
of the dream,
says,
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.
The visions of chapter 7 and 8
reinforce this,
as we will observe
four beasts in chapter 7
and a ram and a goat
in chapter 8,
all which represent kingdoms
that will rise and fall.
We now can look back on that
and see that they rose
and they fell.
Beloved,
we ought never be too proud
of our achievements.
We must not become entranced
by some idea
of our might,
for it is God
who raises up
and God
who brings low.
Daniel and his friends,
as conquered captives,
find much success
in this foreign land.
We'll see that repeatedly
throughout the text.
But not,
Daniel records
that he didn't accomplish it.
It was nothing
that he did.
Daniel chapter 1
in verse 17,
we hear,
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.
He understood
the means
by which he was promoted
as being means
that were given to them
by God.
This book will,
or at least
it ought to,
teach us
about the fragile nature
of the power
of man.
But,
what a wonderful thing
in response,
it will also teach us
about a power
that stands
in contrast
to the rise
and the fall
of man.
And that power
is,
number two,
the immovable
sovereignty
of God.
This is a very good thing,
beloved,
when we recognize
how little control
we have,
and we also realize
who is in control.
You are right
to feel anxious
in this age
when you recognize
that you have
very little control.
control.
But,
you have a reason
to be faithful
to the end
when you realize
that God
is in control.
It's not a single thing
in this world
that escapes
his grasp.
He is an absolute,
immovable
sovereign.
This book teaches us
that.
The God of Daniel,
our God,
is unchanging,
and he never ceases
to rule
over his creation.
It is his.
He declares mine
over it.
After God reveals
the content
and meaning
of Nebuchadnezzar's
dream to Daniel
in chapter 2,
Daniel prays this,
beginning in verse 20.
Blessed be the name
of God
forever and ever,
to whom belong
wisdom and might.
He changes times
and seasons.
He removes kings
and sets up kings.
He gives wisdom
to the wise
and knowledge
to those
who have understanding.
He reveals deep
and hidden things.
He knows
what is in the darkness
and the light
dwells with him.
To you,
O God of my fathers,
I give thanks
and praise,
for you have given me
wisdom and might,
and I have now
made known to me
what we asked of you,
for you have made known
to us
the king's matter.
Daniel begins
his prayer
specifically
praising God
for his eternal
sovereignty
over the kings
of the earth.
Right?
He mentions
also seasons.
He's the dispeller
of wisdom
and of understanding.
The interpretation
of the dream
showed that not only
would earthly kingdoms
come and go,
but that they would
come and go
by the hand
of God.
Daniel chapter 2
and verse 34,
and you can also
see this in verse
45,
Daniel says
to Nebuchadnezzar,
as you looked,
a stone was cut out
by no human hand.
It was the hand
of God
that cut the stone
out in his dream,
and it struck
the image
on its feet
of iron and clay
and broke them
in pieces.
After Daniel
tells the king
the interpretation
of his dream,
Nebuchadnezzar
falls before Daniel
and says to Daniel
in chapter 2
and verse 47,
truly your God
is God of gods
and Lord
of kings,
reigning over
all the powers.
In chapter 5,
we will observe
King Balthazar
calling upon Daniel
to interpret
the handwriting
on the wall.
Daniel tells him
in chapter 5
verse 18 and following,
O king,
the most high God
gave Nebuchadnezzar
your father
kingship
and greatness
and glory
and majesty.
God gave it
to him.
Verse 19,
And because of
the greatness
that he gave him,
all peoples,
nations,
and languages
trembled
and feared
before him.
Whom he would
he killed
and whom he would
he kept alive.
Whom he would
he raised up
and whom he would
he humbled.
But when his,
Nebuchadnezzar's,
heart was lifted up
and his spirit
was hardened
so that he dealt
proudly,
he was brought
down from
his kingly throne
and his glory
was taken
from him.
He was driven
from among
the children
of mankind
and his mind
was made
like that
of a beast
and his dwelling
was with the wild
donkeys.
He was fed
grass like an ox
and his body
was wet
with the dew
of heaven
until he knew
that the most high
God rules
the kingdom
of mankind
and sets over
it whom
he will.
God taught
Nebuchadnezzar,
and Daniel's
here telling
this to his
son Belthjar,
right?
By humbling
him,
making him
mad,
he went
and lived
like an
animal
for a while
for God
to say
to him,
you were
the king
because I
made you
the king
and just
like I
made you
the king
I can
make you
like a
dumb
ox
and when
he realized
this,
he was
restored
once again
to be
the king.
King Darius
too would
eventually
confess
the sovereignty
of God.
after the
observance
of Daniel's
faithfulness
and God's
deliverance
of Daniel
from a
knight
in the
lion's
den,
Darius
proclaims
in Daniel
chapter 6
and verse
26,
I make
a decree
that in
all my
royal dominion
people are
to tremble
and fear
before the
God of
Daniel
for he
is the
living
God
enduring
forever.
His
kingdom
shall
never be
destroyed
and his
dominion
shall
be
to the
end.
So here
the king
saying
my
royal
dominion
in my
royal
dominion
in my
reign
we
will
worship
this
God
because
his
reign
will
never
come
to an
end.
Because
of the
immovable
sovereignty
of God
the book
of Daniel
teaches us
that he
will bring
the earthly
kingdoms
to an
end
and
establish
his
kingdom
forever.
I love
this.
I love
this vision
in chapter
7.
It is
good.
I'm
eager
to get
to
Daniel
chapter
7
beginning
in
verse
9.
If you'll
turn there
you'll
want to
see this
so if
you'll
turn
there.
We'll
talk about
it
very
briefly
but I
want
to
read
it.
Daniel
chapter
7
beginning
in
verse
9.
Daniel
says
!
So here he is
ruling over
lifting up
casting
down
verse 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
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
if
you're
familiar
with
the
book
of
Daniel
you
know
who
he's
talking
about
if
you
are
not
who
is
this
one
like
a
son
of
man
the
Lord
Jesus
Christ
that's
who
this
vision
is
of
God
the
son
coming
to
God
the
father
as
you're
reading
your
new
testament
this
phrase
may
be
familiar
to
you
places
like
Mark
chapter
10
verse
45
Jesus
says
for
even
the
son
of
man
came
not
to
be
served
but
to
serve
and
to
give
his
life
as
a
ransom
for
many
right
he
means
for
his
listeners
to
go
whoa
wait
this
is
the
one
you're
the
one
like
a
son
of
man
who
comes
and
sets
up
a
kingdom
that
reigns
forever
!
was sent
by
God
the
father
in
human
flesh
like
a
son
of
man
to
fulfill
the
righteous
requirement
of
the
law
that
we
spoke
about
this
morning
in
the
catechism
to
die
the
death
that
all
transgressors
of
the
law
deserve
so that
by faith
in him
we might
become
citizens
of a
kingdom
that
will
never
fade
but
it'll
last
forever
and
ever
with
Jesus
as
its
ruler
this
future
reality
this
sure
and
future
reality
purchased
by the
life
death
and
resurrection
of
Jesus
Christ
is
great
reason
for
us
as
we
await
that
final
day
to
have
resilient
faith
to
recognize
that
we
are
not
of
this
world
while
we
are
still
in
it
so
thirdly
we're
going
to
note
the
theme
of
the
resilient
faith
of
Daniel
and
his
friends
in
a
hostile
culture
finally
let's
look
briefly
at
the
lives
of
Daniel
Hananiah
Mishael
and
Azariah
those
are
their
Hebrew
names
these
young
men
were
captured
in
the
taking
of
Jerusalem
they
had
been
of
high
position
in
Israel
but
were
now
slaves
in
a
foreign
land
and
they
were
being
asked
to
betray
their
God
for
the
sake
of
other
gods
there's
lots
of
cultural
pressure
on
them
to
turn
their
backs
on
the
Hebrew
God
we
will
spend
the
next
seven
weeks
considering
the
details
of
these
stories
are so
much
good
to be
unpacked
out of
them
so I
will
just give
you one
example
this
morning
in
chapter
in
chapter
three
Daniel's
friends
are
asked
to
bow
their
knees
to
a
massive
golden
image
built
by
Nebuchadnezzar
they refuse
to do
so
I think
you're
familiar
with
the
story
and
so
this
report
comes
to
the
king
these
three
will
not
do
it
and
he
brings
them
before
him
so
they're
before
this
Nebuchadnezzar
this
great
and
grand
mighty
king
Daniel
chapter
!
3
beginning
in
verse
14
we
read
then
Nebuchadnezzar
in
furious
rage
commanded
that
Shadrach
Meshach
and
Abednego
these
were the
names
given
to
them
change
their
names
as
they
went
to
be
slaves
in
Babylon
be
brought
so
they
brought
these
men
before
the
king
Nebuchadnezzar
answered
and said
to
them
is
it
true
oh
Shadrach
Meshach
and
Abednego
that
you
do
not
serve
my
gods
or
worship
the
golden
image
that
I
have
set
up
now
if
you
are
ready
when
you
hear
the
sound
of
the
horn
pipe
lyre
trigon
harp
bagpipe
and
every
kind
of
music
to
fall
down
and
worship
the
image
that
I
have
made
well
and
good
but
if
you
do
not
worship
you
shall
immediately
be
cast
into
a
burning
fiery
furnace
and
who
is
the
God
who
would
deliver
you
out
of
as
a
God
who
is
a
God
who
would
oppose
King
Nebuchadnezzar
verse
16
Shadrach
Meshach
and
Abednego
answered
and said
to the
king
oh
Nebuchadnezzar
we have
no need
to answer
you
in this
matter
no need
to answer
in the
face of
this
king
I
don't
think
we
have
a
lot
of
context
for
what's
happening
here
the
fact
that
they're
even
standing
before
the
king
was
massively
significant
thing
and
he
is
furious
at
them
this
is
the
kind
of
off
with
their
heads
sort
of
situation
and
they
say
we
have
no
need
to
answer
you
in
the
matter
what
moxie
what
faith
but
they
go on
to
say
if
this
be
so
our
God
whom
we
serve
is
able
to
deliver
us
from
the
burning
fiery
furnace
and
he
will
deliver
us
out
of
your
hand
oh
king
he
is
more
mighty
than
you
verse
18
but
if
not
be
it
known
to
you
oh
king
that
we
will
not
serve
your
gods
or
worship
the
golden
image
that
you
have
set
up
!
two
ish
months
the
rise
and
fall
of
man
the
immovable
!
sovereignty
of
God
and
the
resilient
faith
of
Daniel
and
his
friends
in
a
hostile
culture
and
I
hope
that
you
will
join
me
in
eager
expectation
of
what
the
Lord
will
teach
us
as
we
continue
our
study
of
this
book
oh
that
it
would
make
us
humble
that
it
would
make
us
confident
in
our
unchangingly
sovereign
God
and
that
it
would
help
us
to
be
faithful
to
the
end
after
all
beloved
this
is
God's
word
to
us
written
for
his
glory
and
our
good
so
we
would
all
do
well
to
listen
to
it
nor
believe
its
promises
and
to
obey
its
commands
let's
pray
together