Background

2. Background • Author: Daniel (9:2, 10:2, Mt 24:15) • Daniel means ‘My judge is God.’ • Date: completed 530 BC • Themes • The kingdoms of the world versus the Kingdom of God • To encourage us to be faithful to the end and overcome the temptations of this world

3. Background • Key Verse: 2:44: In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.

4. Overview of Daniel • The first six chapters are largely narrative, with some prophecies interspersed. They narrate the life of Daniel from his exile in Babylon up to his old age. • The first six chapters are largely narrative, with some prophecies interspersed. They narrate the life of Daniel from his exile in Babylon up to his old age.

5. The Narrative (chs. 6) • Daniel trained in royal service (1) • Nebuchadnezzar’s image dream (2) • The golden image & fiery furnace (3) • Nebuchadnezzar's tree dream (4) • The handwriting on the wall (5) • Daniel in the lions' den (6)

6. Daniel trained in royal service • Daniel is exiled to Babylon as a young boy. • He & other Israelites are drafted into training for royal government service. • Daniel & his 3 friends refuse to eat the royal food. • They find favor and come to excel in their studies.

7. Nebuchadnezzar’s image • An unusual image w/ gold head, silver upper body, bronze lower body, iron legs, iron & clay feet. • Daniel interprets the parts as picturing world empires to come.

8. Golden image & fiery furnace • Nebuchadnezzar has a golden image built which he commands all to bow down & worship. • Daniel's companions refuse to worship the image & are thrown in a fiery furnace. • God rescues them in the midst of the fire.

9. Nebuchadnezzar’s tree dream • A mighty tree is cut down, leaving only stump & roots. • Daniel: judgment to come for pride of Nebuchadnezzar. • Dream fulfilled: Nebuchadnezzar’s pride, madness, & recovery.

10. Handwriting on the wall • Belshazzar uses the sacred dishware from God’s temple. • A mysterious message appears. • Daniel: your empire is at an end. • That night the kingdom is taken.

11. Daniel in the lions’ den • Daniel is punished for praying to anyone but the king. • God protects Daniel from the lions, but his accusers are later devoured.

12. The Prophecies (chs. 7-12) • Daniel’s dream of the four beasts (7) • His vision of the ram & goat (8) • His prayer & the message of the 70 sevens (9) • His vision of the heavenly man (10) • The angel's message (11-12)

13. The four beasts • Lion (Babylonian empire), bear (Medo-Persian empire), leopard (Grecian empire), & terrible beast (Roman) appear • Then a throne scene w/ Ancient of Days • Son of Man receives universal kingdom • Four kingdoms to come, then judgment, then eternal kingdom of saints

14. Daniel 7:13-14 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 Daysand was presented before him. 14And 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 onethat shall not be destroyed.

15. Daniel 7:13-14 13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaventhere came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him. Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

16. Daniel 7:13-14 14 “…his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. Matthew 4:17: “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

17. The ram and goat • Ram with 2 unequal horns conquers all • He, in turn, is defeated by a goat with 1 horn, whose horn breaks and is replaced by 4 hours • Ram = Medes and Persians • Goat = Greece

18. The 70 sevens • Daniel repents for himself and Israel. • God sends an angel with his message. • 70 sevens determined upon the holy people and holy city • How long they would remain in “exile” • When the exile would end (after 490 years)

19. The heavenly man • Daniel sees a shining man and is terrorized • Is this Gabriel? • Mentions princes of Persia and Greece (seemingly angelic) • Comes with message for Daniel

20. The angel’s message • The doings of the coming kings of the north and south • The king who exalts himself (antichrist?) • The end-times/fulfillment of all things • The wise will understand at that time

21. Lessons from Daniel • God's people must typically live as a minority in their dispersion. We need to know how to do so. • We (like Daniel) need to do our best in the situation God puts us in. • We need to use the opportunities He provides. • We gain strength and encouragement from knowing how it all ends.

22. Lessons from Daniel • This world is temporary, but the kingdom of God endures forever. • Be faithful to the end, without compromising • Remember your specific mission to advance God’s kingdom in this world.