Daniel 1:1-7
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Introduction to Daniel: Kingdoms in Conflict
How does a follower of Christ remain faithful in a culture that rejects him? Jesus preached the good news of the kingdom of God but the kingdoms of men do not seem to be interested in God’s kingdom agenda. How do we live confidently in and among nations who want nothing to do with God’s kingdom? This series on the book of Daniel is meant to answer those question as to show us how we can and are called to be a blessing to the very kingdoms and nations which often stand opposed to the king of kings and his kingdom.
Context – Before we can jump into Daniel and start learning from his example and applying the principles we learn we have to understand the context. Steve Scheperle stated last week DT in Prelude to Daniel: Old Testament Walk Through Part 2 and important principle:
“The Bible was not written to us but it was written for us.”
Understanding the context that the book of Daniel is set in will help us understand its message and apply the principles to our own cultural and historical contexts. If we are going to understand Daniel we have to understand his culture why God’s covenant people found themselves in the situation they were in.
Getting to .
· Prelude to Daniel Parts 1 and 2: Creation, Fall, Patriarchs, Exodus, Law…
· Israel (northern 10 Tribes) invaded by Assyria 740 B.C. and dispersed.
· Judah (southern Kingdom) 605 B.C. Jerusalem is taken, king of Judah became a vassal, first wave of deportations began...
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And 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.
· God is involved in history… Your history. My history. The history of nations… And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,
· Why would God “give” his chosen covenantal people over to the most idolatrous nation in the world at the time?
o Who where they called to be? Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’”
o What were they called to be? A blessing to the nations. () Plug the Perspectives Class 2017.
o How were they to be that witness?
§ 7 Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God.
§ 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me.
o How did that work out? No so well. Moses (1500 B.C. to Jeremiah 640 B.C) patient, merciful, pleading…
§ Prophetic cycle: Reminder of God’s promise and their identity. Warning of consequences of rejecting his covenant. Plea to turn back (repent) with promise of blessing.
§ Judah forsakes God - (ESV) 11 Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. 12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the Lord, 13 for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.
· Judah forsook God.
· Judah looked elsewhere (hewn cisterns) for meaning.
§ 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the Lord. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8 and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. 9 And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, 10 and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it. 11 Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: ‘Thus says the Lord, Behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.’ 12 “But they say, ‘That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’
§ Inserting ourselves in the narrative (we are not Israel) but as a nation that once was predominately made up of profession followers of Christ there are some distinct parallels. The heart and soul of America: 1992 Justice Kennedy – “At the heart of liberty is the right to define one's own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life…” Ruling on an abortion case. This statement captures the heart and soul of America collectively. Maybe it is not your worldview but it is the worldview of our nation. Like Daniel we are part of a larger cultural reality that we may not agree with and we must understand how God deals with the nations we find ourselves living in.
Individuals and Nations choose their own ways and those ways do not lead to blessing from God. (ESV) 12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
God gives individuals and nations over to the sin they choose. God gives man over to his own sin.
Our Role as Exiles (more on this next week) to trust God regardless of the state of the culture around us: for God’s glory, for our benefit, and often for the benefit of the culture we find ourselves in.
And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,
Questions:
1. Which worldview best reflects your heart and mind? Justice Kennedy’s or Gods and articulated in ?
2. What evidence to you see that indicates our culture has turned from God?
3. Are you confident that God can accomplish his purpose even as you live in a culture that utterly rejects him? If so how will that influence the way you live your life this next week?