Daniel 1DANIEL’S AUTHORITY

DANIEL: THE KEYS TO GOD’S PLAN

580-540 BC ‘Revelation’ #1

Amplified by Others

Much FulfilledThe Bible is

Unique

The Babylonian Kingdom in Daniel’s Time

The Babylonian Kingdom in Daniel’s TimeDan. 1:1,2 Changed Everything!

• During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.

• The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God.

• So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the treasure-house of his god.

605 B

C

BATTLE OF

CARCHAMESH

Temple Sacked!Later:

• BC 597 & 587 Revolts

• Crushed ‘Deported’

Where is ‘Yahweh’ ?

Mars Marduk

To King David: Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’” 2 Samuel 7:16

Where is ‘Yahweh’ ?‘Eternal!’‘Empire’

Human ‘Sovereignty’

Powered by Death

Where is ‘Yahweh’ ?‘Eternal!’Daniel: ‘The Future’

Glorious Kingdoms!

Each Will Collapse

King Messiah Lasts

PROVEN TRUE

To King David: Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’” 2 Samuel 7:16

‘American Empire’

THE NEWEST‘FOREVER-KINGDOM’

‘American Empire’

THE NEWEST‘FOREVER-KINGDOM’

Pressures

Populations

Resource Shortages

Economic Strain

Ecological Disaster

Technology Upheavals

W.M.D. Proliferation

Enemies Big & Small

The Weak Empires1 John 2:17 The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is dying…

The Weak Empires1 John 2:17 The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is dying…

A Savage Kosmos

Governed by Death• Death reigned from Adam until

Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam…(Romans 5:14 )

Enslaved by Death• …only by dying could he break the

power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. (Hebrews 2:14-15)

• John 12:31 “…the ruler of this world…”

• John 8:44 the devil…was a murderer from the beginning.

From the ‘god’ of death

• 1 John 2:17 The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is [dying] (the MSG)

A Realm of Greed & Death

DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY

The king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace…” Daniel 1:3-4

Groomed For ‘Leadership’ Taken by Force To Be Babylonian

Rulers

DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY

Daniel 1:4-7 “…Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.”

Groomed For ‘Leadership’ Taken by Force To Be Babylonian Rulers Indoctrinated

DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY

Daniel 1:4-7 The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service. .

Groomed For ‘Leadership’ Taken by Force To Be Babylonian Rulers Indoctrinated Bribed Intimidated /

Persecuted

DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY

Daniel 1:4-7 …The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names:• Daniel was called

Belteshazzar.• Hananiah was called

Shadrach.• Mishael was called

Meshach.• Azariah was called

Abednego

Groomed For ‘Leadership’ Taken by Force To Be Babylonian Rulers Indoctrinated Bribed Intimidated / Persecuted New Identities

DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY

Groomed For ‘Leadership’

Respectful Non-Conformist Works & Goes to

‘School’

Daniel 1:8-10 But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.

DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY

Daniel 1:8-10 But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.

Groomed For ‘Leadership’

Respectful Non-Conformist Works & Goes to ‘School’ Respectfully Refuses

Bribes

DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY

Daniel 1:9 Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials…

Groomed For ‘Leadership’

Respectful Non-Conformist

Gains Godly Authority Granted By God

DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY

Daniel 1:9 Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander of the officials…

Groomed For ‘Leadership’

Respectful Non-Conformist

Gains Godly Authority Granted By God By “Favor &

Compassion”

DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY

Daniel 1:10 the commander of the officials said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king…you would make me forfeit my head!" …

Groomed For ‘Leadership’

Respectful Non-Conformist

Gains Godly Authority Granted By God By “Favor & Compassion” Unafraid: a “Bigger

Boss”

‘The Freedom of TRUTH’“TRUTH will set you free.” John 8:32

DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY

Daniel 1:12-13 “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.”

Groomed For ‘Leadership’

Respectful Non-Conformist

Gains Godly Authority Granted By God By “Favor & Compassion” Unafraid: a “Bigger Boss” Wise, Practical, Useful

DANIEL GAINS AUTHORITY

Daniel 1:15 At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king.

Groomed For ‘Leadership’

Respectful Non-Conformist

Gains Godly Authority Wildly Successful!

“God Invades Babylon”

605 BC Daniel Arrives

Gains Authority

587 BC Exiles Arrive

God Confronts a Savage World

The mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 2 Thessalonians 2:7

‘Death’ Restraine

d

By God

God’s People

New Life Eternal

God’s Salvati

on

“They were all in love with dying”

…all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. (Hebrews 2:14-15)

God Confronts a Savage WorldDeath

Restrained

By God

God’s People

New Life Eternal

God’s Salvati

on

Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

God Confronts a Savage WorldDeath

Restrained

By God

God’s People

New Life Eternal

God’s Salvati

on

Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

BE Differen

t

Able to Sacrific

e

DESPITE

Pressures

God Confronts a Savage WorldDeath

Restrained

By God

God’s People

New Life Eternal

God’s Salvati

on

Matthew 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;

BE Differen

t

Able to Sacrific

e

DESPITE

Pressures

Authority By Character

God Confronts the Savage WorldDeath

Restrained

By God

God’s People

New Life Eternal

God’s Salvati

on

And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; Revelation 14:6

Need to communicate:• The Pressures:

• Indoctrination, domination, intimidation, bribery, conformity, persecution, discomfort.

• I.e., submit to this authority.• The Path of Non-Conformity

• The prisoner who takes Babylon captive.• Respectful, must be above reproach.• Answers to a different authority.• Is not subject to the same rules.• Lived in freedom wherever he went.• No way to dominate Daniel.• Determined at a young age.

• Thus: everyone else melted away, Daniel & Co. stands strong today.

Can you:1. Be Different?2. Be Willing to Sacrifice?3. Disregard immediate

reward?