The Book of Daniel

Daniel was taught by Dr. James Modlish

 

Chapter One
(Introduction - 1:1-21)

 

The Man:

Daniel stands out as one of the greatest men of Old Testament history. That he was a real man in history is proved by (Eze. 4:14 and 28:3), as well as (Matt. 24:15 and Heb. 11:33). He was a teenager in the year 605 BC when Nebuchadnezzar came to Jerusalem and began his conquest of Judah. There were several "deportations" of Jews to Babylon, and Daniel was in the first group because he was of the princely line (2 Chron. 36). It was the practice of Babylon to deport the "cream of the crop" and train them for service in their own palaces.
(A result of prophesy - Isa. 39:3-8).

Daniel was still active in 539 BC when the kingdom was taken by Cyrus; so he lived and ministered in Babylon for over 60 years. In fact, he lived through the reigns of four rulers (Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius, and Cyrus) and three different kingdoms (Babylon, Media, and Persia). His name means "God is my Judge". He held several important positions and was promoted greatly because of his character and wisdom, and because the blessing of God was upon him. Nebuchadnezzar named him chief of the wise men and a ruler of the land (2:28), a position similar to a modern Prime Minister. Nebuchadnezzar's grandson, Belshazzar, called Daniel out of retirement and because he explained the handwriting on the wall, made Daniel third ruler in the land (5:29). Darius named him leader over the whole realm (6:1-3). Certainly Daniel was God's faithful witness in a wicked and idolatrous kingdom for at least 75 years.

 

The Book:

Daniel is to the Old Testament, what Revelation is to the New testament; in fact, we cannot understand one without the other. Prophetically Daniel deals with "the times of the Gentiles" (see Lk. 21:24), that period of time that began in 606 BC with the captivity and will end when Christ returns to earth to judges the Gentile nations and establish His kingdom. In the various visions and dreams in Daniel, we see the program of Gentile history from the arrival of Babylon, through the Conquests of the Medes, Persians, Greeks, and to the rule of the Anti-Christ just before the return of Jesus Christ.

this book proves that "there is a God in heaven" (2:28) and "The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men" (4:25). Daniel makes it clear that God Almighty is sovereign in the affairs of this world; "history is HIS story." God can take rulers off their thrones; God can defeat the strongest nations and turn them over to their enemies.

 

Notes:

Notice chapter (1:5,15,18 and 11:40; 12:4,8,9,13) all have the phrase "the end". this is no coincidence. This is used often in the first and last part of the book because Daniel is a book that deals with "the end times".

Notice also that Daniel and his friends are tried 10 days (1:12) and are found 10 times better (1:20). There is a figure in Daniel 2 with 10 toes. Again this is no coincidence, for the number 10 is the number of the Gentiles. The bulk of the book of Daniel deals with the subject of Gentile rule and power in the world.

 

I. A Difficult Trial: (1-7)

A. A New Home (1-2) - No longer were they surrounded by the religious reminders in Jerusalem, and no longer would they have the influence or their Godly parents and teachers. When some Christians get away from home, they rejoice at the opportunity to "let down the bars and live it up"; but not so with Daniel and his friends.

B. A New Knowledge (3-4) - The old Jewish wisdom had to go; from now on it would be the wisdom of the world, the wisdom of Babylon. They had to learn the wisdom and the language of their captors. The king hoped that this "brainwashing" would make better servants out of them. It is too bad when young people abandon the Word of God for the wisdom of men.

C. A New Diet (5) - For the next three years the four youths would eat the king's diet which, of course, was contrary to the dietary laws of the Jews. No doubt the food was also offered to the idols of the land as well, and for the Hebrew youths to eat it would be acknowledge the heathen gods.

D. New Names (6-7) - The world does not like to recognize the Name of God, yet each of the four boys had God's Name in his name! Daniel (God is my Judge) was changed to Belteshazzar (Bel protect his life). Bel was the name of a Babylonian god. Hananiah (Jehovah is Gracious) became Shadrach (the command of the moon god); Mishael (Who is like God?) became Meshech (who is like Aku, one of the heathen gods); Azariah (Jehovah is My Helper) became Abed-nego (the servant of nego, another heathen god). The Babylonians hoped that these new names would help the youths forget their God and gradually become more like the heathen people with whom they were living and studying.

 

II. A Daring Test: (8-16)

A. An ordinary meal is often an opportunity for testimony (vs. 8) (1 Cor. 8:4-9,12,13).
B. "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he" (vs. 8) - they changed Daniel's name, home, and diet but not his character.

C. God can take care of you, even in captivity (vs. 9) (Prov. 16:7; 21:1).
D. Human opposition can be overcome (vs. 10-16).

 

III. A Divine Triumph: (17-21)

A. "Let no man despise thy youth" (vs. 19).

B. God will take care of those who take care of the things of God (vs. 20).

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